- BMW’s best-selling EV gets another update.
- The new i4 M60 xDrive version ups the power figure compared to the previous i4 M50 xDrive.
- Meanwhile, entry-level i4s get a slight range boost thanks to SiC components.
The BMW i4 is getting more updates this year, with the German automaker placing its bets on more driving range and more power.
The biggest news is the new i4 M60 xDrive version, which replaces the outgoing i4 M50. It comes with two electric motors–one on each axle–that have a combined output of 593 horsepower (442 kilowatts). That’s 56 hp more than the previous range topper and 50 hp more than the BMW M4 CS, which is the most powerful street-legal version of the gas 4 Series.
BMW says the new i4 M60 can get from zero to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 3.7 seconds, while a full battery will deliver 269 miles (433 km) of driving range on the WLTP cycle. That tends to be more optimistic than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency figure, which we’re still waiting on.
But it’s not all about the flagship model. The entry-level versions of the i4, namely the two-wheel drive eDrive35 and eDrive40, are getting new silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor components that boost the driving range by about 13 to 14 miles, thanks to an energy consumption reduction of roughly 4.5% compared to the outgoing models.
In the case of the BMW i4 eDrive35, the new WLTP driving range is 266 miles, while the i4 eDrive40 can go 317 miles (510 km) on a full charge.
What’s more, BMW increased the warranty coverage for the high-voltage batteries in all of its EVs last month. In the United States, the warranty applies to vehicles that are less than eight years old and have less than 100,000 miles (up from 80,000 miles). During this period, BMW will repair an EV’s high-voltage battery if its capacity drops below 70%, both for new and used vehicles.
The updated BMW i4 will go into production in July, with deliveries scheduled to start shortly after. Last year, the four-door EV got a slightly redesigned exterior, as well as a minor range boost. In the U.S., the i4 is BMW’s best-selling EV, with 7,125 units sold in the first quarter–a healthy 57% increase year-over-year. We’ll see if these updates are enough to increase sales later this year.