The newly-launched BMW i4 claims to have the highest driving range among all EVs currently on sale in the Indian car market
BMW Group has expanded its electric vehicle range in India with the new i4 electric sedan, taking the total to three – including BMW iX electric SUV and Mini SE electric hatchback. BMW’s newest EV for the Indian market is essentially an all-electric version of the 4-series Gran Coupe, and it is available in a single variant – eDrive 40.
BMW i4 draws power from an 80.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, connected to a single electric motor on the rear axle. The motor is rated at a peak power of 340 PS and a maximum torque of 430 Nm. The car can reach 100 kmph from a standstill in just 5.7 seconds, while the top speed has been electronically limited to 190 kmph.
The vehicle can deliver a claimed driving range of up to 590 km (WLTP cycle). Using a 205 kW DC charger, the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in just 31 minutes! An 11 kW AC wall-mounted charger takes around 8 hours to charge the battery completely from 0 per cent.
BMW i4 gets a twin curved screen setup on the dashboard, similar to the regular 4-series Gran Coupe (ICE version). This setup consists of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The car runs the brand’s latest iDrive8 UI, which supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and even gets OTA updates.
There are plenty of other convenience and safety features on offer here, including 3-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charging, electric sunroof, power-adjustable front seats, ambient cabin lighting, 360-degree parking camera, reverse parking assist, connected car tech, etc.
BMW i4 eDrive40 is priced at Rs. 69.90 lakh (ex-showroom price), and it is brought to our market via the CBU import route. The electric sedan is priced in the same ballpark as the BMW 5-series and X3, while being only marginally more expensive than the 3-series! BMW i4 currently doesn’t have any direct rivals in the Indian market. However, Kia EV6 is set to launch in India soon, which is expected to have a similar price tag as the new BMW EV.