At launch, the network is focused on areas of high population with sites located as far afield as Plymouth and Aberdeen, and each is fully equipped to work with the vehicles’ high voltage batteries. This will be extended to include a network of service centres with a wider geographic spread.

The BMW i range will launch at the end of 2013 with the i3, the camaker’s first fully-electric production car, with the i8 plug-in hybrid supercar to follow. Owners will also be given access to a range of mobility solutions, including access to parking spaces, charging points, ‘smart’ navigation systems, links to other forms of transport and on-demand use of other BMW vehicles if required.

To date, 6,000 customers have registered an interest in the i range via BMW’s website.

BMW Group UK Managing Director, Tim Abbott said: ‘With the announcement of our BMW i retail network we are open for business and taking deposits on the i3 and i8.’

The first 46 sales outlets will be as follows:

• Bavarian
• Lloyd Newcastle
• Berry Chiswick
• North Oxford Garage
• Benham Wolverhampton
• Ocean Plymouth
• BMW Park Lane
• Rybrook Warwick
• Bowker Preston
• Sandal Huddersfield
• Broad Oak Canterbury
• Scotthall Milton Keynes
• Chandlers Brighton
• Soper of Lincoln
• Cooper Croydon
• Specialist Cars Stevenage
• Cooper Norwich
• Stephen James Enfield
• Cooper Reading
• Stratstone Derby
• Cooper Teesside
• Stratstone Leeds
• Cooper Tunbridge Wells
• Sycamore Peterborough
• Cotswold Gloucester
• Sytner Birmingham
• Dick Lovett Bristol
• Sytner Cardiff    
• Eastern Motor Company
• Sytner Harold Wood                                        
• Elms Cambridge
• Sytner High Wycombe
• Fairfield
• Sytner Leicester                               
• Halliwell Jones Warrington
• Sytner Sheffield                               
• Harry Fairbairn Glasgow
• Vines of Guildford
• Jacksons Jersey
• Westerly Exeter
• John Clark Aberdeen
• Williams Liverpool
• Knights North Staffs
• Williams Manchester
• Lloyd Carlisle
• Wood of Bournemouth