BMW wants to attract more electric car buyers. The brand has offered many options in all shapes and sizes, like the retired iX and i3, and now, the i7 and i4 and their many variants.. With the cancellation of the i3, a more affordable BMW electric car is needed, and the brand plans to offer an entry-level i4, starting at the lower end. $53000, including destination.
If you’re not familiar with the BMW i4, it’s basically an electric version of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe and the second model in BMW’s expanded new line of electric vehicles. The i4 launched last year in two versions: the base i4 eDrive40 and the flagship, performance-oriented i4 M50 series. These new eDrive35 i4 slots are below the eDrive50 in i4 hierarchy and also pricing less than $4,500 (including destination $995).
While i4 and iX eDrive40 has an 81 kWh battery, the 35 will have a smaller battery pack, at 66 kWh and a drive motor (instead of two four-wheel drive motors) sending 281 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque to rear wheels. BMW estimates that the eDrive 35 will hit 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. Not bad.
BMW estimates the eDrive 35 will have a range of about 260 km when equipped with 18-inch aviation wheels. This makes it suitable for most services on the market if that is relevant in the real world. The i4 is also capable of DC fast charging, with Charging speed up to 180 kW, can get you from 10 up to 80 battery percentage in just 32 minutes.
Inside, it is Typical BMW EV, which means lots of tech and lots of screens. There is a 12.3-inch screen along with another 14.9-inch main control screen in place of the usual instrument cluster. Any necessary updates to those controls and displays will be made available through OTA updates, as well as BMW ConnectedDrive services. Okay what BMW has tried with updates and features in other parts of the world, this may or may not make room for subscription-based access.
The BMW i4 eDrive 35 2023 will go on sale in the US in early 2023.
