BMW will launch a fully electric Gran Coupé in 2021, a car that will be called i4 and of which this brand new Concept i4 already gives a very accurate first impression.
New BMW models often remain largely true to the concept cars that preceded the production versions, and that makes the unveiling of this Concept i4 even more interesting. The study model serves as a preview of a fully electric Gran Coupé that will go through life under the model name i4, a car that is of course related to the upcoming new 4-series Gran Coupé.
If the i4 to appear on the market in 2021 remains virtually the same as this concept car, we can expect a fairly usable car from BMW. The four-door has a battery pack with a capacity of around 80 kWh, good for a WLTP range of up to 600 kilometers. The electric heart is 530 hp strong and with that electrical power the Concept i4 must be able to launch itself in about 4 seconds to 100 km / h. The top speed is above 200 km / h. Does the Concept i4 still sound a bit? According to his creators, that is a must. BMW has asked the help of composer Han Zimmer to work with BMW’s own developers to give the i4 a set of suitable vocal cords.
In addition to the technical aspect, the visual side of the car is of course also interesting. The Concept i4 has its own version of the very striking and far downwards continuous kidney grille that BMW showed for the first time on the Concept 4 Series. The kidney grille is completely closed on the Concept i4, after all it is an EV. The solid panel houses a wide collection of sensors. The carriage of the Concept i4 is Sprayed Frozen Light Copper, a coat color that was previously shown on the Concept iNext. BMW also uses blue accents, a link with the i-label from BMW. Aerodynamically shaped wheels are also extremely light according to BMW, but the manufacturer does not release how many kilos they put in the dish. BMW also affixes a revised version of its brand logo on the car, a new variant that will also be used on other BMWs. In addition, the brand indicates that with the design of the Concept i4 “[…] seeks out its design potential within the brand “.
BMW places a large curved display in the interior, which is mainly aimed at the driver. The screen also gives an outline of what the interior of the iNext, the intended electric flagship of BMW, will look like. You have to search for buttons in the Concept i4 with a magnifying glass, almost all functions can be operated via the screen. BMW has developed three so-called ‘Experience Modes’ for the display, Core, Sport and Efficient. The chosen theme not only influences the colors used, but also determines which information is displayed. Expect to see more of this again in the future. Issues such as the outflow openings of the ventilation system have been eliminated through clever design steps. The interior is finished with Gold Bronze-colored accents while things like the iDrive button and the buttons for the memory function of the electrically adjustable seats are made of crystal glass.
The i4 runs from the end of 2021 of the band in Munich. This year, BMW will release iX3 with a fully electric version of the X3.