Not wanting Ford to hoard all the EV spotlight with the buzzy Mustang Mach-E, BMW confirmed some details about its upcoming i4 electric four-door this week. The new model will be part of a new generation of BMW electrics that'll boast spirited performance, sharp driving dynamics and comfortable commuting within an electrified package. For the i4 that means the latest eDrive technology, 523 horsepower, up to 373 miles (600 km) of driving range, and sporty but roomy four-door coupe packaging.
Next year marks the kickoff of BMW's new-generation electric vehicle offensive, which will be based around its fifth-generation eDrive technology, a scalable architecture packaging together a more energy-dense high-voltage battery, new charging hardware, and a new integrated unit with motor, transmission and power electronics in a single housing. BMW will be able to offer the eDrive in various output levels and readily adapt it to different styles of vehicle. The iX3 crossover will be the first to market with the gen-5 eDrive next year, followed by the production iNext and i4. In June, BMW announced it intends to have 25 electrified vehicles in its lineup by 2023, two years sooner than originally planned.
When the i4 launches in 2021, it will come powered by a 523-hp electric motor developed as the electric performance equivalent of a modern V8. That motor will draw power from a high-voltage battery pack with around 80 kWh. BMW reckons that the combo will team up to offer around 373 miles (600 km) of range, an impressive Model S-matching figure, though we assume BMW is deriving it from the generous WLTP standard. BMW also assures that the i4 will deliver on the brand's promise of driving pleasure, accelerating from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in about four seconds well before topping out at double that speed.
The specs here aren't really new, as they're the same numbers that were attached to the 2017 i Vision Dynamics, an early i4 preview. BMW is, however, confirming those numbers as actual production targets, not just pie-in-the-sky concept car figures.
The i4 will have a charging capacity of up to 150 kW, allowing the battery to jump from 0 to 80 percent in roughly 35 minutes. If you don't have that kind of time, you can add 62 miles of driving range for every six minutes wired up to a compatible charger.
BMW will build the i4 at its main Munich plant, where it also builds current 3 and 4 Series models.
Source: BMW