The Demio EV uses a motor developed in-house and offers 100bhp, just less than the power output of the 1.5-litre Sport model, and adds around 200kg to the equivalent conventional car. Mazda claims no loss of interior boot space and a range of 120 miles on the Japanese test cycle, while recharging takes eight hours from a standard plug socket.

Most of the first vehicles will be leased to local governments and corporate customers near Mazda’s headquarters in Hiroshima. The carmaker said it hopes to gain information which can be used for future production cars, but that these will follow ongoing improvements in conventional powerplants.