The Vauxhall Corsa is going electric, and it’s available to reserve now.

Known as the Corsa-e, the fully-electric hatchback is the flagship of a totally new Corsa range, based on Vauxhall’s CMP Multi-Energy Platform. Delivering 136PS from its 50kWh battery and acceleration from 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds, the Corsa-e’s performance is expected to appeal to ‘a broad range of drivers who may not have previously considered an electric car’, says Vauxhall.

Thanks to a 205-mile range (measured using the new WLTP test) and fast recharging (using a public fast-charger, it can reach 80 per cent of its capacity in 30 minutes) Vauxhall says the Corsa-e will normalise electric car ownership.

A £500 reservation fee (fully refundable on purchase) will secure an order on a Corsa-e and to celebrate the new model’s launch in the UK, the first 500 customers will receive a free home charging kit when they take delivery.

Priced from £26,490, including the Government’s £3,500 Plug-in Car Grant, the Corsa-e will be available in two trim levels, both of which will come as standard with a 7-inch touch screen, 11kWh on-board charger, satellite navigation, LED headlights, alloy wheels, rear parking sensors and DAB radio.

On a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), the Corsa-e will start at £270 per month for 47 months, with a customer deposit of £5,549.40 and an optional final payment of £9,123.00*, based on an SE model with optional Orange Fizz paint (£650).

Also standard will be the peace of mind that comes with the Corsa-e’s battery warranty, which guarantees that at least 70 per cent of its capacity is maintained for 100,000 miles, or eight years.

Full specifications and pricing will be available when Corsa-e makes its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, ahead of production kicking off in January next year.