The Japanese Mitsubishi i-MiEV model has already proven a hit on home soil – and now bookings are being taken for the European version of the car, under the Peugeot brand.

Known as the Peugeot i0n, pre-bookings of the vehicle are open on the websites of Peugeot Germany, Great Britain, France, Spain and Italy. The company says it has already signed letters of intent with nine companies and administrations for car sharing projects and large fleets in Europe.

The i0n made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September with Citroen also announcing its version of the car – to be known as the C-ZERO – earlier this week.

It features four doors and four seats, and develops a maximum power output of 47kW and torque of 180Nm. The vehicle boasts a maximum speed of 81mph with the lithium-ion battery pack supporting a range of 81miles. It is rechargeable in six hours or to 80 per cent capacity within 30 minutes using a 50kW quick charge.

The development comes after PSA Peugeot Citroen and Mitsubishi signed a co-operative agreement for the development of electric vehicles back in September.