One of the real pleasures of motoring journalism is the opportunity to drive something really different. That’s why my recent test drive of the new BMW i3 electric car was such an exciting and fun opportunity. This car is full of new technology and good news for the future – including the future of farming.

The car’s structure is made from a combination of carbon fibre materials and aluminium. The carbon fibre is plant-originated, so in the long term one could extrapolate that we’ll be growing our cars.

I was at the BMW headquarters some years ago, where they showed us car bonnets and boot doors that were made from straw.

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BMW has a big investment in carbon fibres, much of which will be grown as a commercial farm crop in the future.

That’s not as far-fetched as it might sound and that’s why driving the BMW i3 made me feel like the boundaries of our thinking are being broken and there’s more to come. The car that I drove certainly changed my mind about electric cars.

Initially, it was the range-extender engine in the boot of the i3 that convinced me about the car. I also noticed that I changed my driving habits for the better.

The fact that I was driving an electric car changed my behaviour on the road. I think that I became more understanding, probably because I wanted people to be understanding of me and my electric car. If you are getting the impression that I liked the i3, then you’re right. The whole package is so impressive, even if it’s a shade small for a family car. It provides a sense of where we are going in the future and there’s something special about sitting into a car that’s a part of that vision.

From the outside it looks different enough to be noticed. Those that do notice such things waved and gave me the thumbs up as I drove past them in a relaxed way, to maximise the distance of 150km on a full charge.

I felt that I was also experiencing some real motoring value. I bravely took the car to the FTMTA Grass & Muck 2014 and I only started to dip into the range-extender engine’s fuel supply as I left the town. That did feel good.

I even brought it onto the field site and its 19in low-resistance tyres floated across the surface with ease. The car’s smooth and stealth-like precision made it move around the site almost unnoticed because of the quietness of the engine.

Electric cars have great torque ability and I loved the way that the i3 could accelerate – it’s very lively even though it’s quiet. The controls were easy to get used to, apart from the chunky forward and reverse stub on the side of the steering wheel.

I covered 610km over four days in the i3, topping up the petrol tank by €10 just once. The overnight car charge from my home charger kit was easy.

While it was difficult to estimate how much it cost, BMW claims that 15kW of electricity will bring you in the region of 100km at average use levels. That’s a very modest cost of about €2.55 for a full charge – now that’s cheap motoring. The catch is the price of the car, at €47,690 or £28,830 in Northern Ireland.

There is a grant of €5,000 available for i3 buyers, along with a vehicle registration tax (VRT) refund of €2,500. Even with these refunds the car is still very expensive, but it is the best electric car that I’ve driven.

I dipped into the BMW ConnectedDrive services through my computer and iPhone. This system allows you to pre-plan a route with the destination details being transferred to the car.

It allows you to check the maximum possible range and the location of charging stations. You can remotely check the charge level in the car using the system, even when it’s not being charged.

I just loved everything about this car: its technology, its design, both inside and out. It’s not ideal when it comes to space and the doors are a little tight for rear seat passengers, who won’t be very impressed with the legroom either.

Overall, it’s simply great but still too pricey for most. It will surely become more affordable over time.

BMW i3 REX

Engine 647 cc

Engine power 170bhp

0-100km/hr 7.9 seconds

Economy 22.2km/litre

Fuel capacity 4 litres

CO2 emissions 13g/km

Road tax band A1 (€170)

Main service 20,000km Towing rating NA

Safety rating Five star

Warranty Eight years Entry price €47,690

NI price £28,830