Honda e:Ny1 Advance: 'If you're considering buying an electric car - you should think about this Honda'

If you do choose to go electric, chances are it will either be a company car or you’ll order it in the same way you do your iPhone – on what is essentially a finance deal.

The second option has the benefit of hiding the list price which sounds staggeringly high. I know, cars these days are very well equipped compared with a generation or two ago, but still.

The Budget has also served only to muddy the waters. In fact, the Office of Budget Responsibility predicts changes mean 100,000 fewer sales over the next 12 months as drivers consider the 3p-a-mile bill for driving EVs. So much for the drive to electric.

Nonetheless, EVs represent good news for some drivers and are cheaper than petrol/diesel when all costs are considered. Not all drivers will be tempted, admittedly.

In fact I don’t know many people who have chosen to go EV and fewer still who have used his or her own money.

But EVs can make sense and some companies have made a compelling case. Honda is one of many car companies who have gone full throttle for the EV market with its own take on the issue. Here is e:Ny1, an interesting offering.

There is a feeling that electric vehicles lack character, that they are all more or less the same. True, electric motors tend not to have the variations of character of petrol or diesel engines but as overall packages they can certainly be different.

The range is key, I feel, and it will remain so until we get chargers which work as rapidly as fuel pumps.

This model manages 256 miles which is not huge but should handle most people’s needs. A bigger battery would offer more miles but would reduce cabin space and make the vehicle bulkier.

Everything about EVs is a compromise at the moment and I feel this is a decent balance.

The name? Well, it must have been an interesting brainstorming session when someone came up with that.

I’m not a fan. It sounds silly and far out of keeping for a brand which has brought such exciting names as Prelude and Jazz. Still, it sounds different.

So, what is it? It’s a sporty SUV, quick and nimble and unlike a lot of EVs it’s pretty mainstream in style.

It’s a five-seater and it has a big boot, which sets it apart from a lot of electric SUVs which have small boots to allow for big batteries. This has a 344 litre boot.

It is a neat looking machine, less quirky than many EVs which try to be different and end up simply looking odd.

Honda call it dynamic, stylish and highly practical and say its interior sets new benchmarks for quality, space and comfort. Well, I approve and the seats are arguably the best in class. It is claimed that it appeals to young people.

By that, I think Honda means younger than its average customer, which I think is probably a fair assessment.

The e:Ny1 is the brand’s second fully EV for Europe. It has fast charging to deliver a 10-80 per cent charge time of 45 minutes.

The model debuts a new EV identity. The white H badge on the front becomes a new symbol of Honda electrification, along with a smart new typeface for the brand name at the rear.

Thanks to the clever packaging of the electric drivetrain components, including the placement of the battery under the floor, the interior is spacious and comfortable for all occupants.

The e:Ny1 is the latest vehicle to feature the Honda SENSING suite of safety technologies as standard to offer impressive all-round collision performance and reduce driver burden through a range of advanced driver-assist systems.

On Advance grade models, a panoramic roof allows light to flood in and creates an enhanced sense of airiness and spaciousness, similar to when driving a convertible, with a front sunshade and detachable two-piece rear sunshade that allow total control over the amount of overhead light allowed into the cabin.

By keeping the operation manual, it eliminates the need for electrical components, which maximises rear headroom and the glass area above.

Meanwhile, there is one thing the authorities – governments, councils and others – can do to boost EV sales: make more chargers available.

Coventry has more public electric vehicle (EV) chargers than five major northern cities combined including Leeds and Sheffield, according to new analysis.

EV buying advice website Electrifying.com, which conducted the research, warned that millions of people face “patchy provision” of charging infrastructure, making it “impossible” for some to switch from petrol or diesel cars.

It called for a “joined-up, national approach” to the rollout of public EV chargers, which is currently overseen by local authorities.

The analysis found drivers living in the northern cities of Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle share a combined 2,485 public chargers, whereas those in the West Midlands city of Coventry have 2,578. How’s that for levelling up?

Electrifying.com attributed Coventry’s high total to its “collaborative, focused approach”.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We’re backing drivers with over £7.5bn to speed up the switch to electric – installing a new public charger every 33 minutes, with the fastest growth happening outside London in places like Yorkshire, Wales, the West Midlands and the East of England.

“In the autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced an additional £200m funding for accelerating the rollout of electric vehicle charging.

“This includes £100m funding for local authorities to support the training and deployment of specialist staff, accelerating the rollout of public chargepoints.”

Honda e:Ny1 Advance

Price: £41,920

Engine: an electric motor generating 204PS via front wheel drive

Performance: Top speed 99mph and 0 to 60mph in 7.6 seconds

Range: 256 miles

Warranty: Five years in total comprising three-year manufacturer’s warranty and two-year Honda Extended Guarantee