Nissan is to distribute the Silence S04 nano car and the company’s range of electric scooters in the UK, gazumping SEAT who had a previous deal with the brand.

The S04 is an all-electric two seater which is officially categorised as a quadricycle.

It comes in two variants, the L6e and L7e, offering a 92 mile range for the 19hp L7e up to 109 miles for the less powerful, 8hp L6e. The twin motors are located in the rear wheels. Top speeds are just 28mph or 54mph, reflecting the legal limits for the two classes of quadricycle.

Both versions are powered by two removable 5.6kWh batteries, which can be pulled out and wheeled inside to be charged in the home or workplace. There is also the option to battery swap at dedicated stations in large cities, with 100 already active across Spain.

These allow owners of the S04 and Silence’s range of electric scooters to swap empty batteries for fully charged replacements in around 30 seconds. The Spanish model sees the stations in dealerships, Shell fuel stations and other urban locations. The batteries feature a 55W pre-heater to enhance cold weather performance

The S04 is 2,280mm long and 1,290mm wide, making it shorter and narrower than a its obvious rival – the Citroen Ami. As the car is thinner than normal, the seats are offset to avoid elbow clashes with your passenger.

The interior also has some creature comforts, including a multifunction steering wheel, smartphone support, heating and air conditioning, electric windows, and a Bluetooth audio system. The 217 litre boot is deeper than normal too, allowing it to carry a medium-size suitcase.

The S04 is currently sold in the UK by an independent importer at a price of £15,995. It is not yet clear if this arrangement will exist past October, and Nissan has yet to release any pricing plans.

Silence is also Europe’s biggest selling electric scooter manufacturer, with two models which fit into the ‘50cc’ and ‘125cc’ equivalent classes. These also have removable battery packs and will be made available through a network including Nissan dealers.

These were previously badged as SEAT MÓ scooters, but it’s not expected that they will wear Nissan badges under the new arrangement.

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Nissan will sell the S04 and electric scooters alongside the Ariya in its UK showrooms