Renault 4 review

Basic spec is called Evolution and it looks good value at £26,995. Externally it's much like the top spec, including 18-inch wheels. It also has a heat pump; good for winter efficiency. The 52kWh battery, 150bhp motor and 250-mile WLTP range are the same on all versions.

The step up to the Techno trim is £2,000. It's worth it if you can. You get the denim-style bronze-stitched upholstery, plus Google-based satnav and EV route-planner, a bigger driver's screen, heated seats, electric folding mirrors, wireless charger, and wider mode configuration.

A vast fabric sunroof is an option, but you can't have both that and roof rails.

What’ll it cost me in electricity?

At home? Peanuts. Depends on your tariff of course but get one of those handy overnight deals and you’ll replenish the battery for as little as a fiver, maybe less. At a really dear public rapid charger the maths inevitably go south: ball park, it’ll be £30 for a three-quarter top-up. Hope you’re not doing those on the regular.

Expect 200-220 miles range in real driving. The R4 doesn't boast crazy-high charge power – just 100kW – but as it's efficient and the battery is smallish, you recover a good slice of extra range in a shortish time without having to look for an ultra-rapid charger. In numbers, that's 15-80 per cent in half an hour, which will get you another two hours of motorway driving.

It'll also accept three-phase AC charging at 11kW, for a complete charge in four and a half hours. Plus it can deliver power outward – vehicle-to-load.

While some cars have hopelessly optimistic range-to-go meters next to the speedo, Renault's is pretty accurate, adjusting its prediction according to your recent driving style, and even whether you'll be gaining or losing altitude in the rest of your trip.

The R4's charge system is designed for vehicle-to-grid too, so you can make money by charging when juice is cheap and sell it back to the grid at expensive times. But that takes complicated certification and isn't yet ready in the UK.