The Citroën E-Mehari is not a great car. Compared with most cars in most ways, in fact, the French carmaker's battery-powered buggy is not even a good car. But it is a car with a purpose, and within the parameters of that purpose — a breezy runabout for sunny resort towns — it is an absolute charmer. TopGear.com's Dan Read had the opportunity to drive this 21st Century take on its 2CV-based 1968 Mehari utility vehicle. His reaction: "In many ways it’s like the jeep (with a small J) you begged your dad to get on childhood holidays. Even though it’s objectively rubbish compared to your everyday runabout back home, you’ll forgive it because the sun’s out, the roof’s off, you’re on holiday, and who cares what the handling is like anyway?"

On the drive experience:

"It zips along pretty nicely. It might only produce a maximum of 50KW, equivalent to about 67bhp, but like all electric cars it gives you everything right from the off. So it’s nippy from 0-40mph but becomes less enthusiastic as you approach its 70mph top speed."

On the handling:

"It sits high on its springs and corners like a small fishing trawler – in fact it rolls so much, you end up leaning into the bends like a biker. But despite this, it’s too hard over rough or lumpy roads. The worst of both worlds, in other words."

On the creature comforts:

"The interior feels properly home-made, when you open the doors they creak, it has no airbags at all, the steering wheel looks like something from a kit-car and, when the roof is on (a 10-minute job for two blokes), it feels like you’re sitting inside an especially steamy grow-bag."

On its beach-buggy credentials:

"It does have a hose-down interior. So you could take it on the sand, but you would most likely become stuck and people will point at you. This is because it’s only two-wheel drive, and weighs 1,400kg."

On its place in the market:

"Citroen is concentrating sales in France, Spain and Italy, especially to rental companies and holiday resorts around the coats and islands. And if you saw this on the menu next to the usual dull hatchbacks, and with the kids tugging at your trouser legs while pointing at the picture, you will be struck by a sudden impulse to have one."

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