THE next phase of the electric revolution has been kicked into gear as Peugeot prepares to launch its zero emission i0n plug-in city car.
The French firm’s contender in the fledgling electric vehicle market will cost £415 a month to lease when deliveries start in December.
The cost excludes VAT, which is due to rise to 20 per cent in the new year, and the car will almost exclusively be used by businesses or public bodies.
Peugeot says that in addition to the monthly charge, the i0n will cost around £2.50 per 120 miles to run – about four times cheaper than a conventional car.
Incentives, such as no company car tax or vehicle excise duty, free parking in some cities and exemption from congestion charges, will add to the i0n’s corporate appeal.
Private buyers – faced with a £500 a month rental charge – are unlikely to come on stream until more street-side charging points become available.
The i0n will have a range of around 90 miles which is likely to mean it will have to be recharged daily.
It is based on Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV electric car which is currently one of a number of electric models taking part in evaluation programmes in several British towns and cities.
Peugeot’s sister company Citroen will also be using the i-MiEV as the basis for its C-Zero electric car.
While Mitsubishi has put a price on the i-MiEV of £28,990 – similar to that of the larger Nissan Leaf electric vehicle – it is likely most EVs will be leased, not bought, even though the Government is offering a £5,000 incentive to those who join the electric charge.
Peugeot is reluctant to take a retail approach with the i0n saying drivers will be better off leasing the car for a four year, 40,000-mile all inclusive deal including a full warranty and maintenance.
A support package including emergency assistance and other online services will be included in the fee from next April.
Only ten per cent of electric car users are expected to be private drivers and Peugeot expects to distribute around 500 i0ns in the UK a year.
The cost is a sensitive issue. Leasing an i0n is almost the same as a BMW 320d EfficientDynamics – probably the most fuel efficient conventional car around at the moment - and those individuals who take the plunge are likely to be eco evangelists who need to be seen to be green.
With such limited range, electric vehicles are suitable mainly for everyday commuting and although the i0n looks slightly odd it is actually great fun to drive.
The electric motor delivers 64bhp and the power delivery is instant producing mid-range acceleration in the supercar league. A top speed of around 85mph means it can handle motorways, albeit for short spells.
The lithium ion battery pack is slung under the floor creating a low centre of gravity and the car, being rear wheel drive, is incredibly nimble through bends and around roundabouts.
The i0n is a four-seater, has as much boot space as most superminis and comes with air conditioning, ABS, electronic stability controls and Bluetooth phone connectivity.
Under acceleration there is only a slight whine from the powertrain and on the road the whole experience is very purposeful. Gear selection is the same as in any automatic but realistically there are just two modes – forwards and backwards.
Engine braking downhill is as good as with a conventional engine.
The only options are a removable sat nav and a heated driver’s seat. Interior trim is either black or powder blue with a gloss centre panel housing the audio and ventilation controls.
Instrumentation includes a charge meter and a battery condition gauge as well as a speedo.
Hard driving and heavy use of the air conditioning and other systems all saps power which reduces range, although some battery recharging does take place when you lift off the accelerator. Cold weather also impairs battery performance.
Nevertheless, after more than 40 miles driving the i0n through towns and a short spell at speed on a motorway the i0n was still showing 80 per cent battery capacity.
A full charge from the mains takes about six hours but the car can be hooked up to roadside recharging points which are currently being installed in the EV trial zones for a quick boost.
According to Peugeot a 20 per cent recharge takes five minutes while 80 per cent battery capacity can be had in half an hour.
Effective battery life is said to be around eight years at which point the power pack will need to be replaced.
Under the leasing arrangement batteries are included and users will not be faced with extra cost when time comes to renew.
After their use in the i0n the batteries will initially be reused in other equipment before eventual recycling.
At the moment it is early days. The shift towards electric vehicles is very much in its infancy, the infrastructure still needs to be put in place and the range of the cars has to be increased to make them viable.
The i0n may prove electric cars are quite an experience to drive but the costs have to be slashed to make the green dream a reality.