Monica Porter with the Mega City

AS WE’VE entered the new year with the price of petrol at an all-time high of £1 a litre, there has never been a better time to go electric.

So far, our choice in the electric car stakes has been limited mainly to the G-Wiz, a tiny runabout which is virtuous indeed but not the most stylish motor in the world.

So it’s a relief to welcome a competitor, the Mega City, from the NICE Car Company – that’s an acronym for No ­Internal Combustion Engine.

It’s as cheap to run as the ­G-Wiz but, not surprisingly, it does cost more to buy. The two-seater version, launched last year, retails at £10,498 (compared with the G-Wiz’s price of £8,895) and the new four-seater, the Mega City 2+2, costs £10,998.

This sounds fairly expensive at a time when you can buy a serviceable new car for seven or eight grand and some ­Chinese models for even less. What’s more, with a top speed of 40mph, you won’t be taking this baby on the motorway. But new technology always costs more than old. And, in any case, you need to offset purchase price against ­running costs, which really are rock bottom.

Electric cars are exempt from road tax and the congestion charge. You can park them for free in central ­London and at a discount in other boroughs. And they can be insured for as little as £250 a year.

There’s a two-year warranty on the Mega City and the ­annual service is estimated at between £129 and £189. The sealed gel lead acid battery which powers the car costs a hefty £1,800 to replace, but it’s ­expected to last five years.

"It makes for a ­pleasant urban spin"

Like the Smart, the Mega City has a body made of ­plastic, so won’t find it ­acquiring the usual dents and scratches while you’re tootling around town.

Recharging the car – which can be done at home using a ­domestic socket – is set to ­become easier, because City of Westminster Council is ­installing 60 more charging points in the West End.

I test-drove the 2+2, picking it up from the NICE headquarters in Ladbroke Grove. It’s an easy-to-drive automatic that hums gently when ­moving and is silent when stationary but still turned on.

The brakes are a bit slow to respond, so you need to press hard, and the acceleration is a little ponderous. But it makes for a ­pleasant urban spin.

It’s described as a four-seater but to fit two ­passengers in the back, they would have to be ­either small kids or on very ­intimate terms. ­

However, the back seat does fold down to create a decent-sized boot for your everyday shopping needs.

It’s not for show-offs – you won’t burn rubber when you pull away from the lights. But if you drive a NICE car, ­everyone will assume you’re a nice person. And that’s no bad thing.