BMW i4

BMW has commenced work on its first pure-electric car from the M performance division, but the M3 and M4 are safe for now. That’s the message from the CEO of BMW M, Markus Flasch, speaking to Australian media ahead of the reveal of the new M3 sedan and M4 coupe. The first M-fettled product from BMW’s expanding EV range will be a version of the i4, first previewed as a concept in March 2020.

Details about the drivetrain of the BMW i4 have been revealed well ahead of it going on sale globally from 2021. The i4 will be powered by a 390kW electric motor, which, as BMW is keen to point out, is a few kilowatts shy of the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 used in the X5 M50i and others. According to the automaker, the i4 should be capable of completing the 0-100km/h dash in around four seconds and will have a top speed of over 200km/h.

The BMW i4 has been snapped by photographers once again, this time during hot weather testing in sunny Europe. Plenty of black-and-white camouflage adorns the body of this all-electric prototype, so it's hard to see the details of the final design underneath.

BMW's boss has used the Geneva motor show to confirm the all-electric i4 will become part of the company's portfolio by 2025. Harald Krüger, chairman of the board of management for BMW AG, made the announcement at the Geneva event, adding the new offering will be one of many upcoming electrified models. "By 2025, our global vehicle portfolio will include 25 fully- or part-electric models," he said.