BMW confirms i4 production

BMW has committed to expanding its BMW i sub-brand with a new model line, announcing that the iVision Dynamics concept from the 2017 Frankfurt motor show will soon go into production wearing the i4 nameplate.

Slotting in between the i3 EV hatch and i8 plug-in hybrid sportscar, the i4 EV sedan will play a key role in the German car-maker’s electrification plans, according to BMW Group chairman of the board of management Harald Kruger.

“By 2025, our global vehicle portfolio will include 25 fully or part-electric models,” he said.

“At last year’s Frankfurt motor show, we unveiled our take on the future of e-mobility with the BMW iVision Dynamics. This vehicle will become reality – we will build it in Munich as the BMW i4.”

As previously reported, the i4 is scheduled to start rolling off the production line in the early stages of the next decade, while plans for an Australian launch are already underway.

Speaking to GoAuto, BMW Group Australia general manager of corporate communications Lenore Fletcher stressed that the marque has been laying the groundwork for the i4’s arrival for some time.

“In terms of interest from Australia, we’ve already portrayed our interest and demonstrated very clearly that we see low-emission vehicles as the way of the future,” she said.

“Particularly here in Australia – where we now have a range of seven variants in either pure EV or plug-in hybrid form – there can be no doubt about BMW’s commitment to this technology and our commitment to bringing it to our Australian customers.”

While the iVision Dynamics was widely expected to adopt the i5 moniker, BMW went in a different direction for the model’s name, opening the door for other new products to potentially fill the gaps between the i4 and i8.

When the four-door concept broke cover in September last year, few details were revealed about its pure-electric powertrain and autonomous capabilities.

However, the i Vision Dynamics promised a driving range of up to 600 kilometres at the time, as well as a zero-to-100km/h sprint time of 4.0 seconds and a top speed of more than 200km/h.

Whether the i4 is able to meet these marks remains to be seen, but the production model is likely to come close and could be offered with several different battery packs or performance configurations – similar to its inevitable Tesla Model S rival.

The Model S currently has the monopoly on the EV premium-sedan segment but will soon be joined by the Porsche Mission E and others, with the i4 now figuring into this equation.

BMW Group Australia’s electrified line-up currently consists of the i3 BEV, i3 REx, i8 Coupe, 330e iPerformance, 530e iPerformance, 740e iPerformance and X5 xDrive40e iPerformance, while the i8 Roadster and Mini Countryman Cooper S E All4 are on the horizon.

From a global perspective, BMW Group sold more than 100,000 electrified vehicles in 2017, including a 21 per cent market share in Europe – larger than any other manufacturer.