This is the new BMW Concept i4 Gran Coupe, a very big hint at the forthcoming production version of the i4 electric car, which is due to go on sale in 2021.
BMW’s latest concept shares most of its design from the Concept 4 we’ve already seen, and that means it sports a large grille, 8 Series-style rear lights and sharp front lamps. However, it also gets some EV-only features such blanked-out grille and flashes of blue along the diffuser and other areas.
It’s just a concept for now, but it’s likely the Concept i4’s specs will mirror what we see in the production car. That means when it arrives in 2021, the i4 could feature boast 530hp, a 373-mile range, a top speed of 124mph and 0-62mph time of around four seconds.
Those impressive numbers come thanks to some very clever aerodynamics but also an 80kWh, 550kg battery pack and motor. To put that into context, Hyundai Kona Electric comes with a 64kWh battery pack, and a top-of-the range Tesla’s is around 100kWh. The higher the kWh number, the bigger the electric ‘fuel capacity’ it has.
Like most electric cars, the grille is blanked out, as there are no cooling requirements and it’d simply create drag. BMW has instead packed the area where the engine would usually be with sensors, and has christened it the ‘intelligent panel.’
Inside, the Concept i4 is much further away from production, but there are some strong hints of what to expect in the finished car: iDrive has survived the leap to electric power, and there’s also an impressive curved infotainment screen that BMW confirms will be in both the upcoming i4 and iX5/iNEXT.
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