BMW NZ has announced pricing for the incoming i4 models, which will start at $109,900. That’s for the i4 eDrive40 while the more potent i4 M50 starts at $137,900. The latest electric pair will land in New Zealand in the first quarter of 2022.
All new BMW electric vehicle owners will receive a free ChargeNow membership and a 10 per cent discount on all charging sessions for the first 24 months.
To refresh your i4 knowledge, the eDrive40 has a single motor at the rear with an output of 250kW/430Nm. BMW says it offers a WLTP range of 590 kilometres. The M50 is a dual motor machine with a combined system output of 400kW, peak torque of 795Nm and a range of 510 kilometres. It dispatches the 0-100km/h shuffle in 3.9sec, the 40 doing the same thing in 5.7sec.
The i4 is based on a new flexible vehicle architecture with BMW’s new compact electric motors. The battery pack is said to be just 110mm thick and is positioned low down in the vehicle floor.
BMW claims this helps the i4 achieve a centre of gravity up to 53 millimetres lower than that of the BMW 3 Series.
Both the i4 eDrive40e and M50 models for New Zealand come standard with adaptive M suspension and variable sport steering, M Sport brakes and 19-inch M Light alloy wheels.
The battery has a gross energy content of 84kWh with DC charging possible at up to 200kW. If you can find such a charger, BMW says a 10 minute zap can add up to 164 kilometres of range to the eDrive40 and 140 kilometres for the M50. Meanwhile an 11kW wallbox takes eight and half hours to fill it from 10 to 80 per cent, while a regular wall socket takes 46 hours. Guess owners will be plumping for the wallbox then.
Acoustic glazing, pre-heating and pre-conditioning come as standard for NZ models, as do sport seats, a sports steering wheel and powered operation for the hatchback. The i4’s luggage capacity is stated at 470L, expanding out to 1290. The i4 features the new generation of iDrive with a 14.9-inch control screen and 12.3-inch information panel in front of the driver.
Remote software upgrades keep the car up to date, while the BMW Connected Drive Store allows customers to download vehicle upgrades that can be fully functional within minutes. Forty assistance functions are fitted as standard.
Other standard features include a comfort access system, self parking, head-up display, LED lights, ambient cabin lighting and a wireless charge pad. The M50 adds laser lighting, a glass roof, an M tech pack and metallic paint. As usual, there is an extensive list of options to choose from.
