The BMW i4 M50 is the first electric model from the Munich-based car manufacturer to have the traditional letter “M” in its name. Accordingly, the electric brother of the 4 Series Gran Coupé is also designed for dynamism, but without neglecting comfort.
There is strength in calm, they seem to say at BMW. While others plunge into electromobility at full throttle, in Munich they have apparently rested too long on the slowly wilting laurels of the BMW i3. But now the Bavarians are giving up the role of observer in the Stromern and are putting two more cards on the table after the iX3 built in China. After the massive flagship BMW iX, the BMW i4 is now set to be a milestone on the way to the white-blue electric future.
First of all, the electric brother of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé is available in two versions: the BMW i4 eDrive40 with rear-wheel drive and 250 kW / 340 hp and the BMW i4 M50, which comes up with all-wheel drive with a maximum of 400 kW / 544 hp and a torque of 795 Newton meters you activate the boost. The BMW offers 350 kW / 476 hp as continuous output. It shouldn’t be less when a Munich-based Stromer bears the letter “M” in its name for the first time and the competition from Ingolstadt and Zuffenhausen whirls around with more power. Presumably a pure E-BMW M will then straighten the balance of power. But even the lard of the M derivative is enough to be pretty quick on the road, as the test drive has shown.
Before we dedicate ourselves to street dancing, it is worth taking a look under the shell of the vehicle at BMW, which is based on the modified Cluster Architecture (CLAR II platform) and therefore not on a pure electric mobility basis, such as the J1 architecture of the Porsche Taycan . The fact that the center of gravity of the BMW i4 is 37 millimeters lower than that of the BMW 3 series is due to the 561 kilogram 83.9 kilowatt hour battery (81.5 kWh net). The batteries are equipped with prismatic cells, which should be enough for a range of up to 510 kilometers. During our test run, the on-board computer showed 367 kilometers. Another trump card in the Bavarian technology repertoire are the fifth generation of in-house electric motors. The BMW version of the current-excited synchronous machines have the advantage that they do not run out of air at higher speeds. “We have further developed the e-machines from the IX3,” says Series Manager David Alfredo Ferrufino Camacho.
Another point that is included in the range calculation, the Cw value of 0.24. The wind slipperiness (after all, we’re not talking about a small car) is a result of the interplay of aerodynamic tricks such as streamlined components, flush door handles, splinters and spoilers (the Gurney flap at the rear brings ten points of downforce and increases stability) that control the airflow control and mechanical elements, such as the active air flap control in the lower area, of the otherwise completely closed large kidney. The slats can be adjusted in ten different positions and optimize the air flow and the cooling of important elements such as the batteries, the electric motors, the brakes and, last but not least, the battery.
Gran Coupé like a disguised crossover, when a BMW has a second “M” in its name, the driver almost reflexively combines a certain amount of longitudinal and lateral dynamics. They also know that in the Munich suburb of Garching, the home of M GmbH. Said and done. In order for the BMW i4 M50 to live up to its name in terms of agility, the technicians have lent a hand everywhere. All the electric power doesn’t help if the hat is too soft. Due to local stiffening plus a strut brace, the body is more torsion-resistant than is the case with the related 4 and 3 series. That helps the suspension experts with the set-up. This was successful because the i4 M50 does not have too hard springs even in sport mode. Nevertheless, the i4 M50 is not a BMW M4. Nevertheless, you can whiz through curves quickly, only if you overdo it does the 2,215 kilogram vehicle orient itself outwards. But the vehicle announces this and so remains controllable. The brake grabs boldly, once you get used to the eager deceleration, you can handle it well.
The ten-second extra boost is fun and helps with overtaking maneuvers. There is also a rear-heavy all-wheel drive, which is made up of two electric motors: 190 kW / 258 hp at the front and 230 kW / 313 hp at the rear. The i4 M50 manages the standard sprint from zero to 100 km / h in 3.9 seconds and is up to 225 km / h. The Munich Stromer shows its strengths on the long haul. The comfort is good and whenever possible, the e-machines say goodbye to propulsion and the i4 M50 sails along. An average consumption of 22.5 kWh / 100 km should be achieved. We needed 26.7 kWh / 100 km, but we were also jagged on the motorways. The fun is greater in the front seats than in the rear, where it is too good for people over 1.85 meters narrow. The trunk is big enough with 470 to 1,290 liters.
Another strength of the BMW i4 M50 lies in the interaction of the systems. The adaptive cruise control uses the cameras and sensors and adapts the speed to the conditions, which also applies to recuperation. By pushing the automatic lever into the B-lane, you activate the maximum energy recovery and one-pedal driving is also possible. When it comes to infotainment, the Munich-based company relies on the curved display combination for the i4. The virtual cockpit is 12.3 inches and the touchscreen is an impressive 14.9 inches. In addition to touch, inputs can also be made by voice, which works well. We are pleased that BMW continues to rely on the good old rotary push button, which makes operation easier and reduces driver distraction. However, you have to scroll horizontally through the apps, jump one line down or up, is not possible. Not yet. The in-house operating system OS 8.0 can be updated with wireless updates. However, the BMW i4 M50 with 69,900 euros from November is not exactly cheap either.