The Vauxhall Corsa-e reviewed

Like all electric vehicles, this one develops all its torque at once and simply hurls itself away from rest (the 30mph mark is reached in just 2.1s and 60mph is crested in only 7.6s), disguising the fact that (also like all EVs) this Zero Emissions variant has a bit of a weight problem - that drivetrain adds over 300kgs of bulk.

That other small battery-powered little hatches manage this issue a little better is evidenced by the fact that the Corsa-e's WLTP-rated 222 mile driving range is easily improved upon by the latest versions of the Renault ZOE and the BMW i3.

Still, all of this does represent a brave new world for forward-thinking supermini buyers looking to make the (still rather expensive) switch into all-electric motoring; it seems like only yesterday, after all, that a fully-charged small EV could only manage around half the kind of range you get from this one.
 

Of course, you certainly won't achieve anything like that kind of operating capability if you get anywhere near this EV's quoted 93mph top speed. Or if you habitually drive your Corsa-e in the 'Sport' setting that'll be necessary to release to full 136PS power output just mentioned. The quoted range figure will only be distantly possible if you instead engage a somewhat restrictive 'Eco' mode that drops power output right down to 83PS.

Visually, this electric Corsa is virtually identical to the combustion-engined version, with the exception of different alloy wheel designs. An exterior highlight that Vauxhall is particularly proud of it's the fact that this is the first car in the class to feature adaptive glare-free full-LED headlights - the brand's 'IntelliLux LED Matrix' package, the kind of thing previously restricted to much larger cars.

Inside, all Corsas have identical cabins, which centre around a new touchscreen infotainment system on the dash. Two set-ups are available to buyers: a seven-inch Multimedia Navi system or top-spec 10-inch Multimedia Navi Pro.  

Both monitors deliver the expected smartphone-mirroring functionality and of course there's navigation too - which is optional with the smaller screen. Avoid entry-level trim and you'll find another 7-inch digital display featuring with virtual dials in the instrument binnacle. Build quality doesn't match the highest standards in this class, but ergonomically, there's not much to fault. The seats are supportive, nothing's irritatingly awkward to get to and everything's exactly where you expect it to. Rear seat space is a bit cramped but boot room is the same as with the combustion-engined versions - 309-litres, extendable to 1,118-litres when you fold the rear bench.

We're still at the stage at which you have to be pretty sold on the EV concept to choose a car like this. Vauxhall says its goal is to reach a stage where the overall full-life cost of a Corsa-e (taking into account purchase price or leasing costs, plus charging fees) is approximately the same as what you'd pay to run a well-specified petrol automatic variant. Well we're some way off that at present but it'll happen sooner or later.

For the time being, this is pretty much state of the art in terms of full-electric small cars. Yes, you can get the same technology in a Peugeot e-208 or a DS 3 Crossback E-TENSE. And yes, other compact EVs like the Renault ZOE and the BMW i3 will take you a little further on a single charge. But this Vauxhall will reach a far wider audience than any of the models just mentioned. It will play a key part in democratising the idea of a supermini EV. And that makes it a very important car indeed.