BMW's all-new electric model wins over Lenovo founder

The i3 is "the most sustainable automobile product of our times and the revolutionary answer to the pressing question of sustainable individual mobility", Engel said. He noted that the idea of sustainability is at the center of every aspect of the car - from production to sales.

The carbon fiber of the car body is processed using hydroelectric power, and the plants that produce the cars are powered by wind turbines.

The vehicle also makes extensive use of recyclable materials.

The dealerships that are authorized to sell the i3 in China are required to meet strict standards of sustainability as well.

Engel said that BMW has so far identified six such 5S dealerships in the country to be the first to sell its electric cars. They are in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Shenyang.

According to the company, buyers of the i3 will have home charging facilities installed with help from BMW and its local grid partners.

The company will also provide road assistant service and ConnectedDrive functions to the car buyers as part of its "360 electric" service package.

BMW has already conducted large road trials to pave the way for commercialization of electric vehicles.

In 2011, the carmaker brought its MINI E to China to study customer acceptance and driving behavior in real life situations. A total of 50 customers then, from Beijing and Shenzhen, joined the 10-month test.

In June this year, it also brought the ActiveE, a pure-electric vehicle based on the BMW 1 Series Coupe, for a one-year trial lease program, also in Beijing and Shenzhen.

Positive development

According to statistics provided by the company, the global market for electric vehicles is showing positive signs.

Last year, almost 93,000 electric cars were registered worldwide, and the number is projected to reach 150,000 this year.

The Chinese government also has an ambitious blueprint for a low-emission auto industry.

The central government released a development plan for the industry last July, setting a target of 500,000 units in production and sales of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2015 and a total of 5 million units at the end of the next decade. The plan also said average fuel consumption of all passenger vehicles made in 2015 should fall to 6.9 liters per 100 km and to 5 liters per 100 km by 2020.

Due to high prices and a lack of charging facilities, electric vehicles still have difficulty finding their footing in the private market, although they are increasingly adopted in public transportation.

Some analysts said that premium electric cars are more likely to find a niche in the private segment because the high cost of batteries makes it hard to build a truly budget electric vehicle for the majority of customers.

BMW announced the base price of the i3 in Germany is 34,950 euros ($46,144).

The car will also be available with an extra range extender and the price will then start at 39,450 euros.

Following the i3, the company plans to release the BMW i8, a plug-in hybrid sports car, next year, which will also later come to China.