BMW to release i4 sedan in 2021 with claimed range of 600km and 80kWh battery

BMW has released more details about the i4, an all-electric sedan that the company has been teasing about for years. According to the manufacturer, this model has a range of about 600 km based on an 80 kWh battery.

BMW says in a press release that it bases the claim of the range of about 600 km on the European wltp standard, which generally leads to a somewhat higher mileage than the American epa standard. This American standard is more about covering longer distances, while the European standard is more about shorter distances with more stops and more driving.

The manufacturer also announces that the i4 will have a power of 530 hp, which according to BMW is comparable to the current models that have a V8 engine. Based on the electric motor, the i4 should accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in four seconds and the top speed would be above 200 km / h.

Charging is possible with a capacity of up to 150 kW, which means that it should take about 35 minutes to top up to a capacity of 80 percent. BMW speaks of a charging time of approximately six minutes for a range of 100 km and refers to a battery with a high voltage, which will probably be somewhat comparable to the 800V battery of the Porsche Taycan.

The performance of the i4 would be possible with the arrival of the fifth generation of BMW’s eDrive technology, which after the iX3 and the iNext also comes in the i4. This concerns the combination of the electric motor, electronics, the internal charger and the battery. According to BMW, this generation is a highly integrated design, which can be used in all kinds of models and which would have an increased power density and a lower weight.

The i4 is expected to enter production in 2021 at BMW’s primary factory in Munich. By 2023, the company wants to have 25 models with an electric motor, including hybrids.