Photo: CarPix
We are just months away from the official unveiling of the first-ever production sedan from BMW to be powered exclusively by electricity, as the upcoming i4 is the electric twin of the second-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe.
According to official sources, the model will also get an M Performance version, but despite the hefty output, don’t expect either of them to become drag strip kings like the Tesla Model S, the Porsche Taycan, or even the recently unveiled Audi e-tron GT.
Don’t think of the i4 as an all-round competitor for the previously mentioned EVs either, as BMW will first try to steal a slice of the Tesla Model 3 market before going all-in with a full-size luxury EV called the i7.
Previewed by the BMW Concept i4, which was a powerful yet single-motor and rear-wheel-drive electric model, the production i4 is expected to feature a single-motor version as well at launch, in the quest for better efficiency and a longer range.
The concept was powered by a 530-PS (523-hp) motor sending all motive power to the rear wheels, so despite being brawnier than a BMW M3 or M4, it could only do 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4 seconds flat.
Unless the i4 M performance gets two electric motors, which is not that unlikely going forward, expect the production model to have similar numbers as the concept.
The model should get its juice from a lithium-ion battery that can store up to 80 kWh of energy, which should be more than enough to give the i4 a range as high as 600 km (373 miles) in the WLTP cycle.
The latest rumors suggest both the i4 and the M Performance version should feature the single-motor setup, with the sportier version getting better brakes, stiffer suspension settings, and an M Performance body kit.
The car is expected to be unveiled later this year, possibly just after the second-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe. Both models will look almost identical, with the i4 being mostly differentiated by the lack of tailpipes, other wheels, less air intakes, and some blue accents spread around the body.
Don’t think of the i4 as an all-round competitor for the previously mentioned EVs either, as BMW will first try to steal a slice of the Tesla Model 3 market before going all-in with a full-size luxury EV called the i7.
Previewed by the BMW Concept i4, which was a powerful yet single-motor and rear-wheel-drive electric model, the production i4 is expected to feature a single-motor version as well at launch, in the quest for better efficiency and a longer range.
The concept was powered by a 530-PS (523-hp) motor sending all motive power to the rear wheels, so despite being brawnier than a BMW M3 or M4, it could only do 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4 seconds flat.
Unless the i4 M performance gets two electric motors, which is not that unlikely going forward, expect the production model to have similar numbers as the concept.
The model should get its juice from a lithium-ion battery that can store up to 80 kWh of energy, which should be more than enough to give the i4 a range as high as 600 km (373 miles) in the WLTP cycle.
The latest rumors suggest both the i4 and the M Performance version should feature the single-motor setup, with the sportier version getting better brakes, stiffer suspension settings, and an M Performance body kit.
The car is expected to be unveiled later this year, possibly just after the second-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe. Both models will look almost identical, with the i4 being mostly differentiated by the lack of tailpipes, other wheels, less air intakes, and some blue accents spread around the body.
Google News