Why, you might ask, should you be interested in an electric car that is not and will not be sold in Europe, let alone the UK?

The answer is because it is made by Roewe, the luxury car arm of SAIC Motors, which also happens to own MG. Oh, and, to jump the gun a little, because it is really rather good.

SAIC’s history hasn’t always promised so much. It purchased the rights to the Rover 75 and Rover 25 after the 2005 collapse of MG Rover, and thus when the first Roewe car was born; called the Roewe 750, it was a reworked 75.

The company produced its first electric car in late 2010, a modified version of the Roewe 350. Suffice to say it didn’t set the world alight. This Roewe E50 followed in concept form at the 2012 Beijing motor show, and then entered production at the start of 2013.

The Roewe E50 is a city car-sized four seater whose clean lines and unfussy looks inside and out complement the electric drivetrain.

It is powered by a 71bhp motor and 18 KWh battery pack. It has a claimed 120-mile range if you drive at a consistent 45mph and a top speed of 81mph.

A 30-minute charge from a standard socket delivers a theoretical 90-mile range, while a six-hour charge tops the battery out.

The interior is unfussy but practical. Excellent packaging means there is a decent amount of room, even in the back. Two six-footers can comfortably sit one behind the other.

On the move, the car delivers an involved and refined drive. Performance is good, the steering feel pleasantly engaging and the balance especially decent for a car with such a short wheelbase. Despite being small and weighing over a tonne, it feels nimble.

The ride on the short but surprisingly bumpy test track we sampled it on was well controlled. Only the sharpness of the response from the brakes is sub-optimal but, all in, it delivers more than enough to be a pleasant city companion.

It’s only on sale in China, but if you live there – and more specifically in Shanghai – the national and local government incentives to do so are compelling.