WHEN a showroom for electric cars was first mooted in Knutsford the prospect of corduroy clad, right-on environmentalists peddling (not pedalling) glorified milk floats was probably a vision held by many.

If, like me, your first thought of electric cars is either images of utterly impractical wing shaped prototypes or overgrown mobility scooters, the reality could not be further from this.

My crass misapprehension was soundly and comprehensively shattered for me last week when I got the chance to drive the Tesla Model S.

First impressions are that this car is not aimed at Green Party members, it looks like a heavy shouldered, red blooded sports tourer more akin to a BMW 5 Series or Mercedes CLS than a Toyota Prius.

Sensing the key in your pocket the solid zinc door handles ooze from the doors as you approach inviting you to sink into the soft, high quality interior of polished aluminium and nappa leather.

The most striking interior feature isn’t the vast glass panoramic roof but the huge screen which fills the centre console leaving you in no doubt that this is no regular car.

The controls are all very familiar though with a simple, automatic style, transmission stalk on the steering column.

As you press the accelerator you’re silently ushered forward in an eerie waft with only slight road noise from the low profile sports tyres.

On the open road, press a little harder and you will find yourself catapulted into the future.

This car is fast, very fast, it hurls you at the road ahead not with a prehistoric, rattling bark from a tuned exhaust but with a whispered heft of technology thumped squarely into your back.

The ride is firm and grounded with very little body roll in the bends giving you a real GT feel worthy of its £48,000 plus price tag.

After only a few miles I waited at a roundabout next to an expensive German car and thought to myself: “Why would you buy one of those when you could have something like this?”

After a few more miles my view on the future of cars had changed forever, not only this but my perspective of current motoring had shifted too.

It occurred to me that if we were to explain the human race’s preferred method of personal transportation to an alien species it would go something like this: We drill deep into the planet and extract dead sea creatures in the form of a thick black juice which we then pour into the iron heart of our vehicles where it becomes fire to propels us forth.

A rational look at the way we currently 'do' motoring reveals it in all its madness.

People used to say I looked a bit like Michael J Fox in Back to the Future, last week while driving the Tesla and looking into the rear view mirror expecting to see the road on fire, I actually felt like him.

This isn't the future, this is now.