SEAT has just opened the order books on its all-electric Mii city car which marks the first chapter in the maker’s electrification programme, as the brand begins to shift towards meeting the demands of an ever-changing market.

Priced from £19,300 (including Plug-in Car Grant (PICG), the Mii electric is one of the most affordable electric vehicles on the market.

Seat’s first all-electric production vehicle also lays the groundwork for future models to join the family, with more BEVs and PHEVs due in 2020 and beyond. These include the all-electric SEAT el-Born, plug-in hybrid versions of Tarraco and New Leon and high-performance plug-in hybrid models from CUPRA, including the Formentor and Leon.

The Mii electric’s motor, linked to a single-speed transmission, provides its 61kW (83PS) of power and 212Nm of torque instantly, meaning the five-door car can reach 31mph from a standstill in only 3.9 seconds – perfect for driving around towns and urban cities.

The car’s 36.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides up to 161 miles (results of its Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test) of range from a single charge, based on the WLTP test cycle. Rapid charging (DC at 40kW) to 80 per cent takes an hour – about the same time as an average smartphone – whilst using a AC 7.2kW home charger takes four hours to reach 80 per cent fully charged.

Standard equipment for the Mii electric includes metallic paint, sports seats, dark tinted windows, Lane Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, rear parking sensors and fast DC charging capabilities.

Mii electric receives the following as standard: 16-inch Cosmo Grey matte alloy wheels; heated and electrically-adjustable door mirrors; dark-tinted rear windows; LED daytime running lights and heated front and rear windows.

Inside there are heated front sports seats with cloth upholstery and integrated headrests; height-adjustable driver’s seat; leather steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake lever; and new IML dashboard with chrome effect.The Mii electric also receives a bundle of tech as standard, including: hill hold control; Lane Assist; Traffic Sign Recognition; rear parking sensors; Bluetooth phone connection and five-inch colour screen with DAB radio. First customer deliveries are expected in spring 2020.

EScooter revving up

IF YOU want to cut your carbon tyretrack further though you might like what Seat have planned in their next electrification programme.

The brand is strengthening its commitment to urban mobility and breaking into the motorcycle market after the presentation of the Seat eScooter concept.

The company will sell its own fully electric, 125cc-equivalent motorcycle, with the official presentation in Barcelona next weekSmart City Expo World Congress on November 19.