BMW, the Bavarian luxury automaker, recently introduced its second all-new electric vehicle, the i4 eDrive40, after the iX xDrive40, in India at Rs 69.90 lakh, ex-showroom. The vehicle promises a travel range of up to 590km on a single charge, which is the highest amongst the other on-sale mass-market and luxury electric cars in the country. Not to mention, it comes with a tech-laden cabin and rapid-charging capability.
Exterior
The i4 is based on the same new design philosophy of BMW as the 4 Series Gran Coupe. But it does not appear as radical as the iX electric SUV or even the upcoming XM hybrid for that matter. Further, this German electric sedan gets the tallest-ever closed-off grille.
The i4 is reminiscent of the 4 Series Gran Coupe and shares typical identical elements, such as the quad-hexagon daytime driving lights, signature rear lights, and slated coupe-style roofline. The India-spec i4 comes with LED headlights and 17-inch alloy wheels. It is available in three exterior paint options — Mineral White, Skyscraper Grey, and Black Sapphire.
Meanwhile, it measures 4,783mm in length, 1,852mm in width, 1,448mm in height, and has a 2,856mm wheelbase.
Interior
BMW offers a choice of two interior tone options with the electric sedan: Canberra Beige with black and Cognac with black. It comes with Sensatec synthetic leather upholstery for the seats. Additionally, the cabin gets an oak grain wood trim, ambient lighting with dynamic contour lighting, powered front seats with two settings of memory function for the driver seat, and electronically controlled steering with memory function.
The firm has bestowed the i4 with the BMW Curved Display comprising a 12.3-inch driver information display and a 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. This setup also features the latest iteration of the operating system. Other notable features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a voice command function with the ‘Hey BMW’ wake up sign.
Features
The i4 comes equipped with a variety of features, such as three-zone temperature control, rear-axle-only air suspension with self-levelling, cruise control, a glass roof, a 17-speaker, 464-watt, Harman Kardon surround sound system, front and rear parking sensors, reversing assistant, parking assistant with lateral parking aid, a wireless smartphone charging pad, multiple airbags, cornering brake control, and so forth.
Electric powertrain
The i4 is powered by an 83.9kWh battery pack capable of producing 335bhp and 430Nm. It has a WLTP-certified travel range of up to 590km on a full charge. Besides this, the i4 can sprint from zero to 100kmph in 5.7 seconds, while the top speed is rated at 250kmph.
The sedan supports up to 205kW rapid charging and can charge the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in a claimed 31 minutes, while the charger can add 164km of range in just 10 minutes. On the other hand, it takes 83 minutes to recharge the same percentage of battery with a 50kW charger. Meanwhile, a three-phase 11kW unit charges the i4 from zero to 100 per cent in 8.25 hours.
