Here’s the next salvo in the company’s electric assault: the BMW i4.
BMW may have been in a bit of a quandary. They already have the i3 as the brand’s original all-electric car, so they couldn’t well use that name for an electric 3 Series alternative. Fortunately, there’s the “Gran Coupe” moniker, as a four-door version of a two-door version of a four-door car. So early on Wednesday, we were finally greeted to the official new BMW i4, which cribs the 4 Series design (grille and all) and adds two extra doors to the mix.
The automaker released few details on the car with their announcement, but there are some numbers to work with. The company pegged its potential range at up to 300 miles (per EPA figures). 530 all-electric horsepower is on tap here as well, which means the BMW i4 ought to have the acceleration to make its gas-powered siblings proud. The 0-60 sprint should take about 4 seconds, according to manufacturer estimates.
In terms of design, it seems the new BMW i4 was virtually production ready in spy shots and the earlier i4 Concept. With a simple blue streak down the sides, that distinctive grille and sleek side profile, it’s more or less what we’d been expecting these past several months. We can’t see the interior just yet, though I suspect that will make some substantial updates on the traditional BMW interior. The car aims to catalyze BMW as a “digital powerhouse”, not least of which comes down to the new “Operating System 8”, which is also making its way to the iX crossover.
While this was mainly a design reveal, we should have more technical info in the coming weeks. The car will go on sale later this year.
