BMW i4

The 2022 BMW i4 is now available to pre-order via the BMW Australia website. BMW is allowing potential buyers to reserve their all-electric i4 on a $500 deposit, with deliveries expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022 (January to March inclusive). Unveiled in March 2021, industry rumours suggest the battery-powered four-door coupe will be offered in three variants: an entry-level i4 eDrive35, a mid-spec i4 eDrive40, and a performance flagship i4 M50 with up to 390kW.

The 2022 BMW i4 will be offered in three variants when it goes on sale, with the company adopting its traditional naming conventions for the electric vehicle. According to multiple sources, including BMW Blog, it's suggested BMW will initially offer a mid-spec i440, which is expected to use a single electric motor to drive the rear wheels. Rumours suggest power will be somewhere around 225kW, but may have an 'overboost' feature allowing a shot of up to 250kW for overtaking.

The luxury fastback segment is heating up with BMW planning to join Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Tesla. Autoblog Italia reports a four-door coupe called the i6 will be the next all-electric BMW after the upcoming i4 four-door coupe and iX3 and iNext crossovers. It may appear in 2024, ready to rival the Porsche Taycan and the upcoming Audi e-tron GT and Mercedes-Benz EQS. According to Autoblog, the i6 will feature all-wheel drive and a choice of two electric powertrains.

A prototype believed to be the BMW i4 electric vehicle has been spotted tearing up the white stuff in Europe, ahead of an anticipated market launch next decade. While it was originally thought the new model would draw heavily from the futuristic-designed i Vision Dynamics concept that previewed it, the i4's design looks like it will be quite conventional – so much so you could mistake it for a 4 Series.

BMW has committed to boosting its spend on electric vehicle development this year, with board members revealing the planned investment in a press conference last month. Harald Kruger, chairman of the BMW Group board of management, used his time at the microphone to outline the brand's planned electric rollout. It'll start with the iX3, before expanding to include the iNext and i4. "Our future is definitely electric," Kruger unequivocally stated during his remarks.