Vauxhall has stuffed another 14 miles of range into the Corsa Electric

The Corsa Electric - already one of the rangiest small electric cars around - has been updated to deliver a new total of up to 266 miles (+14) in long-range spec. For perspective, that’s 18 more than the closely related Peugeot e-208 and well ahead of a comparable Cooper Electric.

Said long-ranger is the 51kWh version, aided by a 154bhp e-motor that allows it to get from 0-62 in 8.2s en route to 93mph flat out. The big change here is that Vauxhall has fiddled with the cell chemistry and found a more efficient powertrain setup, which means the Corsa now returns a claimed 4.3 mi/kWh. Fruity indeed.

Vauxhall has also used the refresh to add Vehicle-to-Load capabilities exclusively to the 51kWh cars, enabling customers to power external devices anywhere and everywhere at up to 3.6kW.

Recharge rates remain unchanged, so a flat to 80 per cent top-up is still complete in under 30 minutes at a 100kW rapid charger.

In terms of equipment, the entry-level ‘YES’ gets the universal 10in infotainment display, vegan leather steering wheel and heated front seats as standard. You’ll also get 16in diamond-cut alloy wheels and up to five exterior colour choices, with a matching dashboard strip, door inserts and floor mats thrown in.

The refreshed Corsa Electric will be available from May onwards, with the cheapest of the 51kWh models starting at an unchanged £28,900. Remember the days when rudimentary superminis cost a tenner?