This is a big moment for Mazda because at last the Japanese company has produced a serious electric car… with a little help from the Chinese.

Mazda gave us the low range electric MX30 as far back as 2021 but since then seems to have been trading water concentrating on super efficient petrol and diesel hybrids while rivals have been churning out electric models like no tomorrow.

If the MX30 is a cute short journey runaround then there can be no doubt the Maz6e is a full blown five door hatchback to get the company’s electric programme up and running in earnest, and we were assured there are more in the pipeline.

But what of the connection to China? Mazda has a long standing partnership with Changan, hardly a familiar name here but a big player with the wherewithal to build electric cars. The 6e bears a striking resemblance to the company’s Deepal SL03 but let’s park that.

Whatever its origins the new model looks for all the world the next generation Mazda6. Like its predecessor it is stunning from nose to tail. The frontal design is spectacular with the traditional grille flanked each side by a fluttering display of daylight running lights. During charging the DRLs light up gradually until the job is done.

Along the side there are pop out door handles, frameless windows and a coupe roofline topped with a retractable spoiler that’s deployed automatically at 56mph.

We were driving Swiss registered left hand drive models as a taster because the car will not reach our shores until next summer. In Europe it is selling for 45,000 euros which on the current exchange rate would drop it below the magic £40k mark but we will have to wait and see.

The rear wheel drive 6e comes with either a 68.8kWh or 80kWh battery which throws up a strange anomaly. The lithium lower powered unit is the more powerful (258bhp) and charges to 80 per cent in 22 minutes while the larger nickel battery (245bhp) takes 47 minutes to reach the same level of charge for a gain of 46 miles.

It is all down to the lithium-ion unit’s ability to take a 165kW charge against 90kW for the nickel unit. The ranges are 299 and 345 miles respectively.

It is inside the car where things get really interesting – Chinese technology meets Japanese craftsmanship. My first thought was the similarity with the Chinese BYD Seal, my car of the year in 2023, huge central touchscreen, no switches.

But the ambience of the interior is classic Mazda mirroring the sumptuous CX-60 and CX-80. It is a lovely, soothing place to be… until you have to take on the touchscreen.

A teenager, young city slicker or anyone who lives with a smartphone glued to their ear will have this sussed in no time. Think of everything you can do with a smartphone then triple it, or even quadruple it!

I had a 10 minute personal tutorial before taking a two hour drive and tried to take in the countless themes and menus but failed miserably. In the end I resorted to voice control to change the radio station, it will do just about anything provided you use the right terminology. The saving grace was the permanent display at the base of the screen for heating controls. Short cut keys can be used to customise the screen and to a limited extent through buttons on the steering wheel. It was all too much for me but I suppose in time I could get the hang of most of it.

The driver display is typically Chinese, a smaller rectangular screen which is overcrowded with bits of information, although the large head up display, which Mazda has championed for years, is excellent.

By the time the car reaches the UK some changes are likely to be made and I hope it involves the ride which is very unlike Mazda. We have become used to sporty yet settled; this car’s ride is too fidgety so some fine tuning is needed to satisfy us Brits.

Like all electric cars performance is brisk but does not light up the acceleration charts.

So what do we think? From the outside a car with an elegant silhouette, a beautifully crafted interior, reasonably roomy with a good sized boot and a useful storage box under the bonnet.

It can take on the Chinese invaders but it will not be an easy ride.

Fast facts

Mazda 6e Takumi Plus

£40-£45,000 (estimate)

Battery: 80kWh; 245bhp

Range: 345 miles

Max charge: 90kW

0-62mph 7.6secs; 109mph

Emissions: zero

Boot: 466-1074 litres

Frunk: 72 litres