The i3 electric car will be delivered to customers in the UK from November and will be available on a 36-month leasing contract for an initial payment of £2,995 (incl. VAT) followed by monthly payments of £369 (incl. VAT) and contract mileage of 24,000 miles.

Three options for charging will be offered. Fast charging functionality will be included as standard, enabling the car to gain 80% capacity in three hours using the optional BMW I Wallbox, which will also offer “green” electricity options.

Drivers will also be able to use a standard household socket for occasional charging using a pre-supplied cable when a fast charging post isn’t available. This takes eight to 10 hours.

Drivers can also use DC Fast Charging, which provides an 80% charge in 30 minutes to one hour and will be available from public locations.

BMW has also announced that its i3 products and services will be sold via a multi-channel sales model, using authorised BMW i partners, a Customer Interaction Center (CIC) as well as the BMW i website.

Commenting on the i3 launch, Ian Robertson, head of sales and marketing, said: ‘The BMW i3 heralds the dawn of a new era for individual mobility and for the BMW Group. True to a genuine BMW, the BMW i3 has strong emotional appeal, outstanding product substance and a guarantee of sheer driving pleasure. With this leading-edge vehicle and compelling price, we will provide customers with an attractive offer for electromobility.’

Prices for the range extender i3, which features an additional 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine to extend the range to around 180 miles on one tank of fuel according to BMW, will be announced at a later date.