Can an All-Electric Car Be a True Driver's Car? BMW Looks to Find Out with the 2021 i4

BMW has planned its near-future quite well. Even though its latest design philosophy– we’re talking about electric cars designs, not the infamous “twinning” concept – has garnered a lot of heat, BMW is still banking on zero-emission cars to safely propel the company into the EV revolution. To achieve this, the automaker is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that all kinds of folks are pleased. As such, the i4 EV is said to be a true driver's car, through and through.

The Crowd Has Its Own Set of Notions and Presumptions

One can safely assume that the three electric models that are due for release – the iX3, iNext, and the i4 – might essentially be the same deal in a different packaging. But BMW says that will not be the case here. It seems a little hard to believe because this is the company that even started the trend of making all its models look remarkably similar to each other; the Russian Doll philosophy, if you may. But just like it said the designs will be different for every model, the automaker has promised that even the three electric cars will be different from each other. BMW will use them to test the grounds and see which one works the best, and what kind of customers they are attracting with the iX3, the iNext, and the i4 in different demographics.

Plan Of Action

Since it will be based on the handsome X3, BMW will most likely use the iX3 as candy to lure people into the showrooms. Speaking with Automotive News Europe, BMW i chief, Robert Irlinger, said, “With the iX3, we are going into the compact SUV segment. The i4 is a compact sedan with a coupe-like look. The iNext roughly has the dimensions of an X5. These are all volume segments we are entering since we believe demand for electric vehicles is growing, governments will support them, and the infrastructure is expanding.”

We can expect the iX3 to be well-packed, and competitively priced as well.

Moving to the iNext, this will be the flagship EV for BMW. It will feature the latest technology possible, the longest range, and it will also be the most luxurious electric vehicle offered in the Bavarian stable. Contrary to what Irlinger said, just like any other premium car, the iNext will not draw a lot of potential customers when compared to the iX3. Now that it has catered to the masses and the Richie Riches, BMW will have one main section of people left to please - the enthusiasts, the folks who like to be in the driver’s seat.

Here Is The Supposedly Touted ‘Driver’s Delight’

BMW will be looking to target the i4 at the people who like to drive their cars and drive them well. Irlinger said that the i4 is “sportier and stands for something different. It’s a driver’s car by design, so the need for that kind of technology is lower”. We already know that the i4 will be offered with an 80-kWh battery pack initially and with a choice of either a rear-wheel-drive system or an all-wheel-drive setup. In terms of size, it will be roughly the same size as a current 4 Series Gran Coupe.

Talking about Autonomy in the i4, Irlinger added, “The i4 is sportier and stands for something different. It’s a driver’s car by design, so the need for that kind of technology is lower. You won’t find the same level of autonomy there as you will with the iNext. But we haven’t decided whether it will be Level 2, 2-plus, 3 or 3-minus”.

Our Take

Talk to the purists, and they will tell you how much they despise electrification solely because it sucks the joy out of driving. But then we see companies like BMW addressing the ‘problems’ which help reinstate our faith in EVs and give us hope that electric vehicles may actually be as fun to drive as the combustion vehicles. Do you think BMW will live up to its words and give us an electrified driver-focused car in the form of the i4? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.