A divisive factor is Peugeot’s tiny steering wheel. Designed to allow the driver to see an unblocked view of the dashboard over the wheel, it’s fair to say that at low speeds, the smaller circumference makes for faster twirling for manoeuvres, but isn’t as nice to hang on to at higher speeds. It does allow an undeniably better view of Peugeot’s large 3D i-Cockpit dashboard though.

The 311-litre boot is claimed to be the same size as that in the petrol or diesel 208s, and is a decent depth. There are two bag hooks but nothing clever, such as a movable floor or anywhere to stash the charging cable. The rear seats offer slightly above average passenger space for the class, and are mounted higher than the front seats for an enhanced view ahead and around.

The electric model is available in all four trim levels, which is a refreshing move to not keep the more expensive trims for the EV; although the top GT driven here is only offered in electric, making the battery car the undisputed range-topper. However, it’s worth noting that the spec for the EV does slightly deviate from that of the internal combustion-engined models. For example, on the entry Active spec the EV gets steel wheels to the petrol and diesel models’ alloys, but it has climate control rather than air-conditioning. Other differences include the pair of rear USB charging points, which the petrol and diesel models don’t get until you go up a trim level. Sat-nav is also only standard on the EV-only top GT spec; it’s a £650 option on the other trims, along with an upgrade to the 10-inch touchscreen, rather than the standard seven inches. Equally worthy of note is the sparse options list, with the need to move to the higher trim levels for more luxury items such as panoramic roof, parking sensors, keyless entry or adaptive cruise control.

Predictably, the e-208 really is at the top of the range for price, with a P11D of £9445 more than the 100hp diesel and an additional £100 more than the 101hp petrol on Active spec, although the Government’s £3000 plug-in car grant comes off the list price, if not the P11D value. Not that P11D matters for this year at least, with the zero-rate company car Benefit-in-Kind level for EVs in 2020/21, rising to £11 per month for a higher-rate taxpayer next year, and £22 for the three years after that. The figure over three years won’t even cover the first month’s BiK on a top-spec Mercedes-Benz A220d, wherein lies the appeal of electric company cars. Even with the high purchase or leasing price, the whole-life cost stacks up once BiK and company National Insurance (which is also zero this year and then minimal until at least April 2025) are taken into account.

But the savings are only worth having if the car itself is up to the job. And the e-208 very much is. A 200-mile real-world range is very achievable, and the driving experience is decent. The e-208’s instant surge of electric torque is frequently too much for the front wheels to cope with on take-off on anything other than bone-dry roads, but the chassis feels capable and there’s very little body roll. The fast steering through that small steering wheel isn’t the most conducive for accurately placing the car on fast smaller roads, but there’s otherwise little to complain about. The ride quality is generally good, although bumps aren’t completely soaked up, and the change in throttle response if the Sport mode is engaged is rather pronounced. The ‘B’ function to allow extra regenerative braking is an effective tool that provides a nice level of deceleration when the accelerator pedal is lifted; once you’re used to it, the system allows for largely one-pedal driving and you only need to use the brakes to bring the car to a complete halt.

The marketplace for small electric cars has suddenly sparked into life, and so the Renault Zoe (recently revised with a much-improved range) no longer has things all its own way.

In the past few weeks the Vauxhall Corsa-e, which is the sister car to the e-208, and the Honda e and Mini E have all arrived on the scene, in two distinct camps. On the one hand, the more fashionable Honda and Mini offer that style at the same sort of price as a top-spec e-208, but with a battery that’s capable of significantly less than 150 miles. On the other hand are the Peugeot, Renault and Vauxhall, which may be less trendy (this may be a bit unfair on the e-208) but offer the benefits of mainstream brands as well as a range of more than 200 miles between charges for the same money.

Choice then comes down to the individual’s usage patterns and what the car is required to do. But over 200 miles of range removes battery capability as an issue for large swathes of drivers, and the e-208 is a good-looking, nice-driving and cost-efficient way to make the move to electric power.