BMW i4: Preview
😍
Expect smooth and agile dynamics, with good efficiency in a svelte package. That M50 looks fun.
😒
Adaptive recuperation sounds intelligent, but we fear it will feel odd. Also, it might look too much like your neighbour’s 4-series.
🤔
The i4 is the tailored suit of the premium EV sedan segment. The M50 is the sport jacket.
Premise
BMW i3
The complex, carbon-fibre, urban EV from BMW. A bit more popular today with its bigger batteries, the i3 was a bit too ahead of its time.
BMW was at the forefront of modern electrified vehicles. They weren’t necessarily pioneers (GM’s EV1 deserves that credit), but they did show their ability to innovate and see the future with the i3 and i8. These carbon fibre concoctions were over engineered and well built, but admittedly ahead of their time back in 2012. They offered range severely limited by the technology of the time, and styling that still looks a generation ahead by today’s standards.
When Elon Musk came on the scene and revolutionized the thinking of what an EV could be (a large luxury sedan, rather than some über urban spaceship-looking thing), BMW seemingly gave up and rescinded into the shadows, with no clear electrification strategy as they watched the market tastes shift in disbelief. Last year, BMW only sold half the amount of 3-series sedans as Tesla sold Model 3s. No doubt, when Tesla delivered more vehicles than all BMW’s non-SUV models (combined) in 2019, the management might’ve said, “Das ist nicht richtig!”
“BMW needs to recapture the minds of the millennials the same way it did with baby boomers.”
BMW E46
The chassis code for the BMW 3-series from 1999-2006. Considered the best sports sedan at the time, it is held as a benchmark for BMW.
It isn’t right. In the days of the E46, BMW’s reign as the supreme sports sedan manufacturer was clear. They made dynamic, mid-size premium cars that every young professional aspired to own, and the baby boomers with young families could afford to own. Indeed, owning The Ultimate Driving Machine actually meant something. These days, that crown seems to sit somewhere in Silicon Valley, rather than the rolling hills of Bavaria.
If the i4 is any indication, that doesn’t sit well with BMW head honcho, Oliver Zipse. He moved up the launch date by three months and uncovered the first electric vehicle crafted by the M division with much fanfare. While Mr. Zipse has stated his company will continue to make ICE vehicles so long as there’s demand, he knows BMW needs to recapture the minds of the millennials in the same way it did with baby boomers decades ago.
What is it?
CLAR
Cluster Architecture is a modular platform for front-engine, rear-drive BMWs (and Supra).
Let’s be clear, this is not a purpose-built electric vehicle (unlike the iX). The i4 is built upon a modified variant of BMW’s CLAR architecture, a wonderfully rigid chassis that underpins the G20/G22 3-series/4-series, the Z4 and the Toyota Supra. The platform was designed to be flexible, accommodating ICE, hybrid and all-electric powertrains from the outset. That said, it is only a precursor towards the Neue Klasse, BMW’s all-new platform optimized for electric vehicles, which we won’t see for a few years.
Given BMW’s history making sports sedans, the 4-series gran coupé form factor is an interesting choice. It seats five adults and will accommodate two child seats, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at it. It is likely a deliberate decision to hedge their bets across multiple segments—it has the sportiness of a coupe, comfort of a sedan and practicality of a small crossover, not unlike the Polestar 2’s fastback body style. Speaking of which, the i4 joins the Swede in the lineup of alternatives to Tesla’s Model 3.
Gran coupé.
“…the sportiness of a coupé, comfort of a sedan and practicality of a small crossover.”
(1,290 L capacity with seats folded).
However, BMW’s differentiation is a bit more overt. Munich’s messaging that the customization is “virtually limitless” is not unusual for the brand, but will be unusual for the curious Teslarati. Where the Model 3 comes in a simple palette with only two interior choices, BMW has a vast selection of options, allowing the discerning buyer to specify what type of wood trim suits their persona. For the people that want to stand out with an investment that reflects their personalized identity, the i4 may be the most compelling in the segment.
Perhaps most importantly, BMW assures us the i4 was designed to return to the promise of being the ultimate driving machine. We already know CLAR gives it good genes, but the direct involvement of BMW M GmbH on the M50 model is particularly intriguing. Being the first purely electric vehicle the legendary performance division has developed, expectations are beyond software tuning tweaks and aesthetics. In a thinly-veiled reference to Tesla’s Performance trim, BMW states the M50 isn’t just about “acceleration in a straight line.”
It looks like a 4-series
The rabbit has already been pulled out of the proverbial hat…you’ve seen much of the i4 already. In fact, save for some blue accents, the design isn’t radically different than any other 4-series, for better or for worse.
Regardless of your position on the grill (it’s admittedly grown on me), it is functional. BMW has hidden three cameras, ultrasonic and radar sensors underneath, all in service of a significant driving assistance upgrade over other current BMW models. Below the license plate, the grill actively directs air to cool the power electronics and drive unit. On the M50, additional venting is present to cool the larger brakes.
At first glance, the interior is virtually indistinguishable from an ICE 4-series (G22). This isn’t a bad thing, as the latest BMW interiors use high-quality materials, with excellent fit-and-finish and are virtually creak-free. Look closer however, and you’ll notice the entire instrument panel has been replaced with a wide display (combining 12.3” and 14.9” anti-glare screens) curved slightly in the driver’s favour. This design choice looks more Mercedes-like than the large portrait screens we’ve seen on other new EVs.
Several technology upgrades
Minimize distraction.
“iDrive 8 promises a natural dialogue interface, where the car is aware of who is speaking and learns their habits.”
That said, it is in-line with BMW’s focus on driving. Historically, BMW’s iDrive infotainment systems have had the advantage of being intuitive enough to operate with a simple click wheel, offering considerable functionality, while minimizing driver distraction. In typical German fashion, it’s all business—no Netflix or whoopee cushions to be found here.
In line with minimizing distraction, BMW has doubled down on its personal assistant. iDrive 8 promises a natural dialogue interface, where the car is aware of who is speaking and learns their habits. If you visit the same Tim Horton’s drive-thru every morning, the i4 will learn to roll down the driver’s window the moment you reach the menu. It will even predict that you will head to the office next, presenting you with an unobtrusive widget to confirm that you aren’t working from home that day.
On the navigation front, BMW boldly claims its new Maps is not only automotive-leading, but smartphone-leading. The system crowdsources data from BMW’s installed base of 14 million vehicles and leverages machine learning algorithms to update a forecast traffic model, which is pushed to the vehicle every minute. Charging stops are factored in as necessary, based on location, availability and the optimal strategy to reduce transit time. It will even suggest parking locations based on the likelihood of finding a spot.
That said, it will not drive for you. BMW is investing heavily in autonomous driving technology, but only to make the drive more pleasurable, rather than promising full self-driving. Still, the i4 sports up to 40 assistance functions that will be constantly updated remotely. It is aware of traffic lights, corners, speed limits and potential obstacles in every direction, with the ability to adjust and mitigate on its own. It can take over most of the driving overhead on highway road trips up to 180 km/h. Needless to say, with the Driving Assistant Professional package, the i4’s capabilities rest somewhere between Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD.
The story is behind the grille
With driving pleasure as a focal point, picking the 4-series as a base was a good decision. The G26 has similar torsional rigidity to a last-generation M4 and a wider track than a current 3-series (by 26mm front, 13mm rear). It borrows BMW’s fancy “lift-related” damper-within-damper tech, which provide more resistive forces near the end of travel to provide better body control on uneven surfaces and reduced NVH. Aluminum front control arms and bearings further improves response. The rear air suspension cancels out any pitch or roll, and the hydraulically damped torque strut bearing will smooth things out further. Compared to other EVs, BMW offers a good foundation for performance here already.
While the above is impressive, the real story is how BMW made this all-electric. The i4 sports the latest in Munich’s electric powertrain technology, known as fifth-generation eDrive. This architecture is a significant step up from what we’ve seen in the i3 and other BMW hybrids.
Electrically-excited synchronous motor (ESM)
BMW = Bayerische Motoren Werke (“Bavarian Motor Works”). Unlike other automakers, who have been relatively quiet about their electric motors, BMW would have to undergo a name change if they didn’t innovate here…and innovate they did.
The eDrive 5 includes a fully integrated, liquid-cooled electric machine architecture encompassing motor, transmission and power electronics. The motor itself is a unique design that enjoys the benefits of a permanent magnet motor, without the rare-earth metals. Instead, it is electrically-excited (hence the name), giving it response characteristics like an induction motor and an overall efficiency of 93%.
Most importantly, it will give the i4 the linear and broad power delivery BMWs are known for. A single motor can provide up to 250 kW (340 hp) between 8,000 and 17,000 rpm, suggesting the i4 will continue to be snappy at highway speeds. It’s 50% more power dense than the drive unit in the current i3, giving BMW a package that can be easily implemented in models that continue to offer ICE-powered variants.
Low-cobalt battery modules
BMW’s further optimized the battery design to achieve 40% higher density at the cell-level. Assembled in the Dingolfing plant, modules are packaged depending on the model. The i4’s pack consists of four 72-cell modules and three 12-cell modules, with a total capacity just shy of 84 kWh (81 of which are usable)
Continuing to use NCM chemistry, BMW managed to reduce cobalt use to under 10% and is procuring the material directly. Lithium is coming via Australia, from suppliers that have agreed to use only “green” power in their production processes.
Thermal management system
The i4 has a fairly elaborate thermal management system, combining waste heat recovery, circulation heaters and a heat pump to improve efficiency and cold-weather performance. Using coolant control valves and dedicated control units for the eDrive and HVAC systems, the i4 can heat, cool or recover energy using any combination of the three circuits and expansion tank. It predicts and responds to spirited driving (especially in sport mode) to condition the battery for prolonged hooliganism.
In cold weather, the i4 will recover heat from the motor and power electronics to heat the battery and (with the heat pump’s assistance) the cabin. The heat pump itself uses 75% less energy than the one fitted to the i3. In temperatures past the heat pump’s capability, dual 9 kW circulation heaters will kick in, including to automatically pre-condition the battery for fast charging. 18 kW of heating power seems like overkill, but perhaps BMW found that getting the eDrive and cabin to operating temperature quickly yields better overall efficiency.
Speaking of the cabin, iDrive’s intelligent nature will make sure you butt and hands are warm based on your habits. The climate control system controls seat heating/ventilation in unison with desired temperature, automatically adjusting based on the preferences of each passenger and where they are sitting in the vehicle.
Adaptive recuperation
From a driver’s perspective, perhaps the most unique characteristic of the i4 will be its adaptive braking system. Similar to the Porsche Taycan, the BMW was designed to provide a linear braking feel, seamlessly switching from re-gen to friction braking as you demand more braking force. Lifting off the accelerator pedal triggers coasting, essentially free-wheeling the motors to maximize the distance you can travel with the car’s inertia.
Where the i4 is unique, is that it will trigger a variable amount of braking (through recuperation) when you lift off the accelerator, depending on the driving situation. If you’re on the highway with no one in front of you, it will coast. However, if you start coming upon a vehicle in front, it will start to brake the car using re-gen, without you touching the brake pedal. If you’re driving around a corner, approaching a traffic light or roundabout, it will trigger re-gen rather than coasting when you lift off the accelerator.
Drive modes
Buttons in the centre console change modes. There are three: Comfort, Sport and Eco Pro.
The level of regeneration is adjusted, along with response and other parameters that effect efficiency. Each mode has a slightly different sound characteristic as well.
Moving the lever to the left engages one-pedal driving (maximum recuperation).
Recovering up to 195 kW, it’s a clever bit of engineering to maximize the efficiency in a given driving situation. Very German, indeed. But I can’t help but think this behaviour might be quite unpredictable, and potentially uncomfortable if your brain is expecting coasting and you get braking, or vice versa. I’ll save my judgement for when I drive it.
What is predictable, is BMW staying true to its signature gear lever. Since the introduction of Steptronic decades ago, slapping the gear lever to the left (towards the driver) would engage a sport transmission program, usually triggering a double downshift for passing maneuvers or a brief stint of slightly more aggressive driving. In the i4, the same motion triggers a twist: one-pedal driving. I think this is brilliant, as one-pedal can be helpful to merge or maneuver into a gap in traffic, and it provides an easy way to activate without fussing about in menus.
Sustainability
BMW Welt and Plant; Munich, Germany.
Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
BMW has been increasingly more pointed about sustainability in its messaging. The original i3 and i8 did pave the way with extensive use of recycled materials, but the i4 (and iX) go several steps further. The battery modules are now 90% recyclable. BMW states that the global warming potential of the i4 is up to 47% less than a normal petrol-powered 4-series, over 200,000 kilometres.
It doesn’t stop at the vehicle. BMW invested €200 million into the Munich plant, in part to make i4 production as carbon neutral as possible. Hydroelectricity powers the plant and BMW’s ditched water in the paint shop entirely. In fact, the water requirement per vehicle has dropped by 40%, compared to the BMWs of 15 years ago.
It comes in two flavours
I have to admit, BMW’s product planners have failed to educate consumers on what the hell their trim levels mean. For those of us that have witnessed the brand’s transition to turbocharging, the number denotes the displacement of a naturally aspirated engine that would have comparable power. Even though a 440i has a 3.0 L turbo, it is comparable in power to a 4.0 L atmospheric engine.
i4 eDrive40
So naturally you would expect the i440…er, 440e?…no, eDrive40 (!) to deliver the same. The rear-wheel drive, 250 kW (340 hp) certainly sounds like it would. BMW’s stated 0-100 km/h time of 5.7 seconds seems quite conservative for that amount of power, as is typical for BMW’s official figures. I would expect it to be a couple tenths quicker.
Naturally, the lighter, single-motor eDrive 40 should be the most efficient. BMW claims a WLTP rating between 160 and 200 Wh/km, with a combined range of 590 km. With a drag coefficient of 0.24 Cd and extensive waste heat recovery, I expect the i4 to easily beat the Polestar 2’s efficiency for cold-weather highway driving. It should be a bit better than early Model 3s, but the extra 200 kg might hurt efficiency compared to current (heat pump equipped) Long Range models.
If you’re familiar with BMW’s portfolio, the eDrive40 is similar to current 430i models in terms of positioning. It remains to be seen which features BMW decides to equip as standard in each market, but expect there to be multiple Premium Package levels with varying levels of technology and cosmetic upgrades. Unfortunately with BMW, the devil is in the details, as often times some of the most compelling features are buried as individual options (i.e. non-runflat performance tires), where you have to strong-arm a salesperson to find a car spec’d the way you want it (or wait months for a new build).
M50
Perhaps most puzzling is BMW’s branding for the M50. The company’s combustion engine models use this nomenclature for the “M-Performance” variants…models that have been inspired or tweaked by the M GmbH division, but not completely overhauled by them (i.e. X5 M50i vs X5M). The M-Performance models have usually consisted of a “greatest hits” bundle of performance options with the most potent, lightly tuned non-M engine, not unlike Porsche’s GTS models or Audi’s S-line. The true M models are more serious, track-ready sports cars.
Once you get past the intellectual gymnastics, you would expect the M50 to be a lightly tuned, M-Performance version of the eDrive40. But according to BMW, it’s not.
BMW says the i4 M50 is the first electric M car, full stop. Digging into the details, there are some substantial differences, including a second motor adding another 100 kW (134 hp) of power, which combined is able to generate 730 Nm (538 lb-ft) of torque. For ten seconds, the M50 can squeeze out another 50 kW and 65 Nm, good for a claimed 3.9 second blast to 100 km/h. The two motors work independently, with a rear-bias until things get squirrelly, with active torque vectoring.
The enhancements carry on to the chassis as well. The familiar Adaptive M suspension gets unique springs and dampers in the M50, which are continuously adjustable and controlled independently with a 3 millisecond response time. The M50 also gets unique anti-roll bars, an additional spring strut tower brace and the variable ratio steering rack to improve response. As expected bigger brakes (including 79 kW of additional recuperation) and meaty tires (255 and 285 section-width front and rear, respectively) come standard, with lighter wheels, larger discs and more aero available as options. They even throw in M4-seats and comforting knee pads.
Admittedly, I suspect some of these extras may be available on the eDrive 40 as part of the inevitable “M-Sport” packages the marketers will put together. Other than the second motor, what will remain exclusive is the sound. BMW enlisted the help of the legendary Hans Zimmer to compose an M-specific soundtrack, allegedly “energy-charged” with a “less harmonious but enticingly stirring” character, whatever that means.
i4 eDrive35
The i4 experience might be open to a broader group in some markets, with the true base-model being the eDrive35. This will be a 200 kW (268 hp) single motor variant, with a smaller battery (rumoured to be 60 kWh nominal). Depending on the weight savings, the eDrive35 may end up being the most efficient of the bunch. Furthermore, the benefits of the CLAR chassis dynamics could make this a more fun-to-drive alternative to the Model 3 SR+. Alas, there’s a high likelihood that we won’t see this variant in North America, as BMW tends not to bring the base-models here.
Conclusion
Jack-of-all-trades.
“You’d be remiss not to have the i4 on your watchlist. I sure do.”
No, the i4 is not a bespoke electric car. BMW didn’t start from scratch like it did with the i3, i8 and iX. There will be keyboard warriors that berate the Bavarians for taking the easy way out.
But one must consider that BMW’s strategy of developing flexible platforms that can accommodate both ICE and EV power plants is hedge that ultimately yields more choice for the EV buyer. Make no mistake, BMW has done a lot of work here to not only make a better 4-series, but to make a better EV.
If you’re a bit indecisive (like I am), but long for a sporty, comfortable and practical EV that has a few more luxuries and some individuality compared to alternatives, you’d be remiss not to have the i4 on your watchlist. I sure do.
