AFTER the best part of a year of hype, the first electrically-powered versions of the new Vauxhall Corsa will hit the roads soon.

The battery-powered version of Vauxhall's latest supermini was first revealed in May last year and the Luton-based company opened the order books and even announced what the new Corsa-e would cost last June.

But a lot of electricity has passed through the grid since then and the price of the entry level version has now gone up by £1,125 from £26,490 to £27,615 after the government's plug-in car grant has been applied.

The Corsa-e is available in two trim levels - SE Nav and Elite Nav - and comes as standard with automatic climate control, electric parking brake and keyless entry and start a seven-inch colour touchscreen and a digital cockpit as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A suite of the latest driver, convenience and safety aids will be available dependent on trim level.

Official testing under the WLTP system credits the Corsa-e with a range of up to 209 miles and the 50kWh battery - which is covered by an eight-year/100,000 mile warranty - supports up to 100kW rapid charging, with an 80 per cent charge taking just 30 minutes.

A 100kW (136hp) electric motor and 260Nm of maximum torque provides acceleration from zero to 31mph in 2.8 seconds with the 0-62mph sprint ticked-off in 8.1 seconds before going on to an electronically controlled top speed of 93mph.

Buyers who complete an order by April 2nd 2020 are eligible for a free home wall box unit worth £800 supplied and installed by Pod Point. Corsa-e customers also get a six month initial subscription to the Polar Plus charging network, the UK's largest public charging network. It is then £7.85 per month thereafter.

As a further incentive, Vauxhall is throwing in its Vauxhall Care package which includes three years servicing, two years roadside assistance and one year MOT.