THE first fully electric car from BMW, the i3 supermini, has gone on sale in the UK.

It heralds, according to the German brand, a new era of prestige car ownership - with zero emissions in a premium car package and at an affordable price.

As the first premium model designed specifically to be powered by an electric drive system, the i3 costs from £25,680, including the full £5,000 Government plug-in car grant.

Its motor generates an output of 170bhp, with peak torque of 250Nm on demand instantly, allowing the i3 to sprint from 0-62mph in just 7.2 seconds, while the lithium-ion battery gives a range of 80 -100 miles in everyday driving.

This rises by approximately 15 per cent in ECO PRO mode and by the same again in ECO PRO+ mode.

Those wanting more scope for distance can opt for the Range Extender version at £28,830, which also has a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine which acts as a generator to extend the battery's overall range to around 180 miles on one tank of fuel.

Both BMW i3 models include a three-year, unlimited mileage vehicle warranty and an eight-year, 100,000 mile battery warranty - and the battery is also included in the price of the car.

Four trim grades of Standard, Loft, Lodge and Suite are available, each allowing the owner to change the look and feel of the interior and all feature sustainable materials like natural fibres and naturally tanned leather.

BMW expects most customers to favour leasing, and rates are from £369 a month for a 36-month contract, rising to £480 for an i3 Range Extender in flagship Suite trim.

As the i3 was designed from the outset to incorporate an all-electric drive system, as opposed to a car adapted for that purpose, the engineers were able to focus entirely on producing a sporty, lightweight, yet space-efficient car for an urban environment.

A standout feature is the single-pedal control - there is a brake and an accelerator pedal but it is possible to drive without using the brake pedal in normal driving conditions.

When driver takes his foot off the accelerator the electric motor switches from drive to generator mode, with the result that the car brakes itself.

And BMW says that thinking ahead in city traffic can allow the driver to carry out 75 per cent of braking manoeuvres without applying the brake pedal.

All models will have AC Fast Charging as standard and owners can also access Electric membership packages like ChargeNow, BMW Access and Maintenance.

BMW Access gives an i3 owner points to redeem against the use of other BMW Group vehicles should they wish to switch cars for European driving holidays and other long trips while BMW Maintenance provides all regular servicing needs of the i3 including  tyre replacement.

Customers can prioritise which of these features are most important to them across four bundles - Pulse, Charge, Spark and Energy - the packages ranging from £40-£80 per month.