Seat has developed its first all-electric car prototype the Altea XL Electric Ecomotive which will be on test in Spain.

The Spanish brand has also created a prototype Leon TwinDrive Ecomotive plug-in hybrid.

Over the next few months Seat will make both models available to government institutions in Catalonia and Madrid for use in their vehicle fleets.

This will provide Seat with information on use of the cars for assessment with a view to mass production of electric vehicles in the medium-term.

The plug-in hybrid Leon will be launched in 2015 and the electric Altea will launch in 2016.

Seat hasn’t revealed the range capability of the electric Altea but has said it will offer 115bhp. The plug-in Leon will have a range of 32 miles in full electric mode. When drive in combined mode (electrical plus combustion) tailpipe emissions are reduced to 39g/km CO2.

Seat president James Muir said: "Customers demand a more sustainable form of mobility, but their needs are diverse.

“Therefore, we believe that a parallel strategy of developing two different technologies will put Seat in the best position to meet their needs."

The announcement of the launch of the first electric vehicles coincides with the start of a product offensive which will see four new models over the next 12 months, the first being Seat’s Mii supermini.