The i4 is the first grand coupé from BMW with an all-electric drive-train. Combining style, agility and comfort and depending upon the model chosen, a range of up to 365 miles is achievable thanks to the new BMW iDrive and Operating System, further enhancing interaction between driver and vehicle. Included in the line-up is the i4 M50, the first purely electric performance car from BMW, that is featured here.
This typically stylish four-door offers both a captivating drive and class-leading levels of technology, just as would be expected from this German brand with their reputation for being drivers’ cars. These vehicles are no longer adapted internal combustion (ICE) cars, today they are based on a flexible vehicle architecture conceived from the outset as a purely electric drive system, adding cutting-edge innovations in the areas of automated driving and parking assistance.
On The Outside
With striking kerb appeal, this grand coupé-style model has a sleek profile with optimised aerodynamics achieving a Cd of only 0.24. The BMW i4 M50 combines the hallmark sporting aesthetic of the brand’s other coupé models with the comfort of a four-door car and a practical appeal enhanced by useful features including a large tailgate.
The stretched proportions and clean lines bring fully-electric exclusivity and the sporting prowess for which BMW is renowned to the premium saloon segment. The centres of innovation in the BMW i4 – the blanked-off kidney grille, the battery technology in the floor area of the car and the sporty diffuser elements which optimise the car’s aerodynamics – are highlighted by accents in BMW iBlue.
Stretched proportions and purposeful flowing lines create the ideal foundations for a chassis set-up tuned to enhance cornering performance and are central to the powerful stance of the BMW i4. Short overhangs, slim pillars, doors with frameless windows and a roofline that flows smoothly into the rear underscore a silhouette that very much fits the BMW ethos.
Hooking up the high-voltage battery to a conventional domestic power socket or proprietary wall box allows the EV to be fed with AC power from both single-phase and three-phase mains connections, at a charging rate of up to 11kW. Using this method, the car can recharge its battery from totally empty to 100 per cent in under 8.5 hours.
Better still, a significantly higher charging output and the shorter charging times this enables, can be accessed by using a DC high-power charging station. The BMW i4 M50 can charge its high-voltage battery there at up to 200kW and can thus take enough energy on board in just ten minutes to increase range by 87 miles.
On The Inside
The interior of the BMW i4 fuses the clear design language and modern premium look with an extremely driver-focused cockpit design. The M50 comes as standard with a very slim and low instrument panel, which provides the perfect stage for the latest version of the fully-digital display grouping. This innovative curved display brings the information shown on the dashboard behind the steering wheel and the control display of the BMW iDrive control/operation system together into a frameless, single-piece glass surface angled towards the driver. The 12.3 inch information display and 14.9 inch control display effectively merge into a single driver-focused unit.
This display is held in place by a supporting structure that is concealed from the occupants’ view, so it appears to be standing freely in the cockpit. The high-quality display technology using anti-reflective glass also makes it possible to dispense with the binnacle usually required to shield the read-outs from sunlight.
The rest of the interior design is likewise geared towards providing a highly involved driving experience. The M50 is fitted as standard with sport seats and a sports steering wheel with multifunction buttons. The BMW Live Cockpit Plus is also fitted as standard and includes an audio system with DAB radio with six speakers and an output of 100 watts. For those looking for the ultimate sound experience, there is the Harman Kardon surround sound system, complete with 16 speakers and a digital seven-channel amplifier delivering 464 watts of audio power, pleasingly standard on the i4 M50.
On The Road
The BMW i4 will be available in three different model variants from launch, including the car pictured here, BMW’s first ever electric BMW performance model. As with it’s ICE siblings, the M50 delivers extreme driving enjoyment, totally encompassing the classic M formula of agility, dynamism and precision handling. Equipped with electric motors at both the front and rear axle with a combined maximum output of 544bhp and M-specific chassis technology, this electric vehicle (EV) offers exceptional performance whilst still delivering a range of up to 316 miles augmented by brake energy recuperation.
The BMW i4 M50 boasts bespoke adaptive M suspension with individually configured springs and dampers, specially designed anti-roll bars and an additional spring strut tower brace in the front end, along with variable sport steering, M Sport brakes and M light-alloy wheels up to 20 inches in diameter with mixed-size tyres front and rear. Naturally, there’s a fully electric all-wheel-drive system and all the very latest in safety technology too.
The motor driving the rear wheels generates a maximum output of 313bhp, while the unit at the front axle produces 258bhp. Intelligently controlled interaction between the two electric drive units ensures the car always makes effortless progress, just like the M cars of old. This model could also make effortless progress to your home driveway thanks to the comprehensive export, VAT-free system from MHH International, delivering prestige vehicles to destinations like New Zealand, Kenya and the Caribbean. The first step to an electric BMW i4 M50 is to get in touch with us here at MHH.
