The BMW i4 will be firms first all-electric sedan and will hit production in 2021. BMW is in the testing phase of the car currently and is teasing us with details in bits and pieces.
BMW is revealing new details about its upcoming i4 electric sedan in bits and pieces. The German carmaker has now revealed that this upcoming all-electric car will produce 530hp and have a top speed of around 200kph. The BMW i4 will go into production in 2021, following the upcoming iX3 and it will be the firms’s first all-electric sedan. The i4 was essentially previewed by the 4 Series Gran Coupe concept at the Frankfurt motor show, earlier in the year. The regular 4 series will also be based on the same.
BMW has released new images of the i4 undergoing testing and has confirmed that it will make use of its fifth-generation eDrive system. The new powertrain will also be used on the iX3 – due in 2020 – and the advanced iNext, which is set for launch in 2021. This latest version of the eDrive powertrain comprises of a modular system where the electric motor, transmission and power electronics and placed in a single housing. This, according to BMW, allows it to be used in a range of different models with different power outputs.
As for the i4, it will get an 80kWh high-voltage battery pack that weighs around 550kg and gives a claimed range of around 600km. The battery can be charged at rates of up to 150kW. BMW says that with 530hp from the electric motor, the car will be able to do the 0-100 kph sprint in just 4 seconds. The firm says that output has been chosen to mirror the power of a V8 engine in current BMW models.
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In terms of design, the new i4 will look a lot similar to the upcoming second-generation 4 Series. However, the i4 will be sitting a little higher off the ground – both in terms of ground clearance and overall roof height – owing to a higher floorboard to accommodate a sizeable battery. The i4 will be built on the same production line as the the standard 3 series at BMW’s factory in Munich, Germany. To ensure a smooth operation of existing petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars, BMW is already running assembly tests with pre-production versions.
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Talking about the i4, chairman Harald Krüger said, “The leading factors that will set it apart are fantastic design, which is very different to anything else on the road, and the fact that it is lighter and therefore more dynamic than anything we see on the market today, thanks to the materials we will use. Couple that with the connectivity technology we are constantly developing and we are confident it will lead the market.”
