Skoda's first pure electric car, the Citigo-e iV, will cost £16,955 after government grants when it goes on sale in the UK next month.

Effectively Skoda's updated version of the Volkswagen e-Up, the new city car comes with headline figures of 81bhp and a range of up to 164 miles under the WLTP testing protocol.

Order books for the Citigo-e iV will open on 10 December, with the car offered in two trim levels. The machine is priced at £20,455 before the £3500 government grant is taken into account. The post-grant price of £16,955 is substantially cheaper than the £19,300 price of the closely related Seat e-Mii. Pricing for the e-Up has yet to be revealed, but is expected to start from around £23,000 pre-grant.

While we're promised that the two upcoming Skodas that will sit on the Volkswagen Group's forthcoming MEB pure electric architecture are more adventurous, the Citigo-e is much more traditional. The body-coloured radiator grille is the most obvious sign of the different power source from the regular car. All Citigo-es will have five doors, and there will be two trim levels – SE and SE L – in the UK.

As in the e-Up, power comes from a single electric motor driving the front wheels and supplied by a 36.8kWh lithium ion battery positioned underneath the floor; 155lb ft of torque should ensure peppy responses. Skoda claims a 0-62mph time of 12.5sec, but the top speed will be limited to 81mph. Expect it to be very close to the e-Up’s 1229kg kerb weight.

Entry-level SE models can support charging at up to 7.2kW using a standard AC port, while a 2.3kW domestic wallbox can also be used. Models also come with air conditioning, a leather steering wheel, 14in alloy wheels, DAB radio and central locking. Using the standard AC port, a 7.2kW system will take just over four hours to deliver the same level of charge; a 2.3kW domestic wallbox will take around 12 and a half hours.

The higher-spec SE L trim, which starts at £22,815 pre-grant (£19,315 after grant), features a Combined Charging System (CCS), allowing use of a DC fast-charger at speeds of up to 40kW. The trim also features 16in alloy wheels, ambient lighting, heated front seats, parking sensors and body-coloured mirrors.