BMW takes wraps off the first-ever i4 sedan

After some delay, BMW has finally revealed the all-new i4 that is the brand's first fully-electric sedan. BMW aims for EVs to account for 50 per cent of its sales by 2030 and the i4 sedan and iX are the two models taking the charge. The BMW i4 is available in the four-door coupe body style and will go on sale in November with two trim levels - M50 and eDrive 40.

BMW i4 resembles the new BMW M3 and M4 models, largely because of the much-criticised kidney grille. Being fully electric, the grille on the i4 isn't functional and houses the camera and radar tech. BMW i4 M50 packs in more performance and gets a sportier body kit with deeper bumper inlets and side skirts. The i4 M50 also features the aerodynamic wing mirrors we saw with the new M3 and M4 and the overall design showcases the sporty intent of the sedan.

Coming to the interiors, the biggest change is the twin-connected curved screens for infotainment and instrumentation. The new i4 debuts the new generation of the BMW iDrive system that now measures 14.9-inch in size whereas the instrument cluster is a 12.3-inch unit. The new-gen iDrive with BMW curved display has gained improved intelligent personal assistant. The rest of the interior layout is similar to other BMW sedans, except for the AC controls which do away with the physical controls.

The all-new BMW i4 features the latest EV tech from the Bavarian carmaker. It packs in an 83.9 kWh battery pack which is mounted under the floor, improving the centre of gravity by 53 mm over the regular 3-series. The eDrive 40 returns a claimed range of 590 km whereas the performance-oriented twin-motor all-wheel-drive M50 model claims a 510 km of range.

The eDrive 40 features a single motor that churns out 340PS and 430 Nm of torque and does 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. The i40 M50 comes with twin-electric motors that combined, produce 544PS and 795 Nm of torque and does 0-100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. With the superfast 200 kW DC charger, eDrive 40 gains 164 km of range and the M50 gains 140 km of range with just 10 minutes of charging. BMW i4 takes on the likes of Tesla Model 3 and base Porsche Taycan.

Text by Amit Saraswat