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All-electric BMW i4 four-door coupe previewed in India ahead of its launch
BMW has just announced that the next all-electric vehicle to hit the Indian shores is the i4 electric sedan. To be launched on May 26th, the BMW i4 will become the second all-electric car from BMW to be available in the country after the iX SUV. The India-spec version has been revealed by BMW, which gives us an idea of what the car will be like once it officially launches here in India.
2022 BMW i4 – Exterior
The new BMW i4 is loosely inspired by the design of the M4 coupe but gets several changes along with EV-specific design cues. The i4 gets M4-like aggressive-looking vertical alignment for the closed double-kidney grille, coupe-like roofline, frameless door panels and slim-looking all-LED headlamps and tail lamps. Apart from the closed grille, other EV-specific design cues offered in the BMW i4 are aero-optimized alloy wheels, flush-type door handles, aero vents on the front bumper and blue accents on the front grille, headlamps, bottom of door panels and boot lid.
2022 BMW i4 – Interior
Unlike the iX SUV, the BMW i4 is not based on an EV-specific platform, but the existing platform of the 4-series coupe. It means that the i4 skips out on the flat floor design and free centre console area. Nevertheless, the i4 gets a curved full-TFT screen which accommodates a 12.3-inch instrument console and a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This screen looks somewhat similar to that of the iX SUV and supports BMW’s latest iDrive 8 user interface and over-the-air updates.
2022 BMW i4 – Powertrain
Apart from the eDrive 40 variant showcased at the present, the new BMW i4 will also get an additional M50 xDrive variant, once it comes here officially. The lower-spec eDrive 40 variant will have a rear-wheel-drive configuration, thanks to the rear-axle-mounted electric motor, which is rated to produce a maximum power output of 340 bhp and a maximum torque output of 430 Nm. The i4 eDrive 40 claims a time of 5.7 seconds for the 0-100 kph sprint.
On the other hand, the more-powerful M50 xDrive variant has an all-wheel-drive layout, with both front and rear axles getting one electric motor each. The combined power and torque outputs of these motors are rated at 544 bhp and 795 Nm respectively, with the i4 M5 xDrive capable of covering the 0-100 kmph sprint in 3.9 seconds.
Both these variants of the BMW i4 will be getting an 83.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which will offer a net usable capacity of 80.7 kWh. BMW is claiming maximum driving ranges of 590 km for the eDrive 40 variant and 510 km for the more-powerful M50 xDrive variant (both tested on the WLTP cycle). This battery pack supports up to 200 kW of fast charging, with which one can obtain 164 km of range in just 10 minutes of charging.
2022 BMW i4 – Rivals
The BMW i4 is a four-door electric coupe, which will be positioned straight against the entry-level versions of the other two German all-electric coupes available in India as CBU imports, the Audi e-Tron GT and Porsche Taycan.
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