BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), is a leading global automotive manufacturer headquartered in Munich, Germany. BMW is well known for its portfolio of luxury vehicles, to include the famed Rolls-Royce luxury cars. The group manufacturers a number of cars under its BMW brand, to include battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The BMW i3 EV is an excellent example of a successful pure electric car. The company currently has the following portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs):
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
The BMW i4, is the first all-electric Gran Coupe. The electric vehicle (EV) is based on the iVision Dynamics concept that made its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The i4 is an electrified powertrain of the 4-series and looks similar to the 4-series Gran Coupe.
It is slotted between the BMW i3 hatchback and the BMW i8 sports. The battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is assembled in Munich (Germany) and is the first all-electric saloon for BMW. The i4 includes the fifth generation BMW eDrive Technology.
The pure electric BMW i4 also includes lightweight carbon-fibre construction, which is currently featured in the all-electric BMW i3 and the BMW i8 EV. BMW is deploying a ‘flexible vehicle architecture’ that will be used by both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs). The design has also been inspired by the BMW iNext SUV concept unveiled at the 2018 Frankfurt Motor Show. The BMW i4 is also the first fully-electric Gran Coupé.
The BMW i4 EV is available in one EV battery size: 80.7 kWh, and has a claimed pure electric range up to 365 miles for the entry-level eDrive40 Sport variant. For the higher performance i4 M50 variant, the claimed range is up to 318 miles. The EV battery size and zero-emission electric range is similar to many of the more recent introductions of pure electric cars i.e. there is a trend of increasing EV battery size and longer electric range.
Of course, the real-world EV range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include: speed, driving profile, regen braking profile, weather conditions, road conditions, tyre size, onboard services used, payload and more. For the entry-level BMW i4 eDrive40 expect a real-world electric range closer to 315 miles and for the top of the range BMW i4 M50, expect an e-range closer to 240 miles.
We at e-zoomed recommend a ‘topping up’ approach to charging an electric car. This way, there is always range readily available and moreover, a topping up approach reduces the amount of time required to charge. The electric vehicle (EV) can be DC charged up to 205 kW and can achieve a 10%-80% in 31 minutes.
All variants incorporate a 11 kW (3-phase) onboard charger, which can fully charge the EV in 8 hours and 25 minutes. However, given that most homes in the UK are restricted to single-phase power supply, expect the EV to take up to 13 hours for a full charge.
The BMW i4 electric car does not disappoint on performance. The range topping all-wheel drive BMW i4 M50 achieves 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds. Impressive, given the additional weight of the onboard EV battery. The total unladen weight of the electric car is 2,290 kg.
The M50 delivers a maximum power up to 544 hp (max torque: 795 Nm) and has a 139 mph top speed. The other two variants (eDrive40 Sport and eDrive40 M Sport) are available as real-wheel drive and can achieve 0-62 mph in 5.7 seconds (top speed: 118 mph).
Though the electric car has much to offer in terms of exterior styling and interior quality, do not expect much in terms of practicality. The sloping roofline does impact the headroom for rear seat passengers, in particular, for taller adults. Legroom can also be a little tight. But again, one is not really buying this car for practicality. It is the performance that matters, and the EV delivers. Having said that, the boot space on offer is still respectable (470 L).
The i4 is certainly a good looking car, further enhanced by the coupé styling. The vertically aligned front kidney supplies the EV with real-time data via sensors and camera, to enhance the driver assistance onboard technology. The BMW i4 has a driver-oriented cockpit and offers the BMW curved display (12.3″ instrument cluster and 14.9″ control display. The BMW i4 electric car is manufactured using ‘sustainable and green energy’.
The EV is suitable for both families and company-car drivers. Company-car drivers can take advantage of the lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate for electric cars. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet.
You can lease electric vehicles (EVs) via e-zoomed at very competitive prices!
The All-Electric BMW i4 Gran Coupe (credit: BMW)
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