In connection with the upcoming electric cars iX3 and i4, BMW has been often criticized that it has not taken advantage of its early start in electro-mobility. The electric SUV is scheduled for 2020 while the i4 won’t arrive until 2021. According to BMW Works Council chief Manfred Schoch, however, the fact that the BMW i4 will “only” celebrate its market launch in 2021 on the basis of the new G20 3 Series generation is not primarily a technical matter, but rather a commitment to Germany as a location.
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For Focus, Schoch said that the production of the BMW i4 could already be started in 2019 or 2020, if a new factory would have been setup. However, the Works Council has fought to ensure that the trailblazing electric car of the BMW Group is also built in Germany, so that electro-mobility will become an integral part of Germany as an automobile location.
Starting in 2021, the Munich-based BMW i4 will be built on a production line with petrol engines, diesels and plug-in hybrids. The i4 shares major parts of its technology with the G20 3 Series and can therefore is often referenced, in some ways, as the electric version of the 3 Series. As the name and form reveal, the BMW marketing sees the i4 but rather as an electric version of the next 4 Series Gran Coupe.
With the i4, BMW is targeting the Tesla Model 3, which currently has been successfully competing in the premium electric mid-size segment.
Later this year, the new MINI E, which is likely to be called Cooper SE, brings fresh wind into the class of small electric cars. By the end of 2020, the BMW iX3 will be targeting the field of mid-range SUVs.
In addition, the 2021 BMW iNext will also feature a spacious, long-range electric car in the format of an X5. By 2025, the BMW Group plans to have at least 12 fully electric vehicles in its program in order to reach a wide range of target groups.
[Source: Bimmertoday]
If you can’t wait, there’s the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-Tron GT instead.
Where?
When?
Taycan is planned as 2020 MY with pre-orders already started: https://my.porsche.com/usa/microsite/e-performance-deposit/
Audi e-Tron GT is a little later with sales starting in 2020 as a 2021 MY
So still waiting.
You are beyond waiting. You missed the train already.
Whereas yours evidently hit you in your head.
This is totally messed up. Why not build it on the i production line? Fantasy is not a solution.
Different architecture.
Again… they should have consulted with you first. Amateurs!
Manufacturers are still hesitant as they are burning through billions of dollars. BMW had an early start with the i3 but then just stopped. If Tesla first came out to just compete against Leaf’s and i3’s we would still be competing against Leaf’s and i3’s. But Tesla, with a new product, had to be as good or better than anything coming out of Germany gas or electric. They raised the bar and started the revolution. BMW is behind especially when MB came out with their large Vehicke/SUV before BMW. Now Audi etron is out! Come on BMW we want larger vehicles than 4 seater i3’s plus the performance BMW is known for!
Stopped?! They’ve issued 2 earnings warnings on R&D on their BEV investments, i3 is 1st generation, multiple models to follow. They’re not behind, they already sell the largest range of hybrids in my market. Tesla aren’t even global yet, will they even survive once they lose their monopoly market to established competitors? And that burning through billions is actually called investing in the future. Are either the Audi or Mercedes you mention available for sale? Didn’t think so.
BMW are bringing the Xi3 out in the near future, as well as the second generation of the I3 with a lager range and multiple PHEV vehicles arcross BMW and Mini, they are definitely not behind. The UK has the largest collection of Electric vehicles and we are the main customer of BMW I range. The I4 is in production but these things take time to get right. If you have any understanding of the dangers of a hybrid and the hoops they have to jump through to make a vehicle safe for the customer as well as the techinans looking after those vehicles, We are the only manufacturer where no PPE is required to work on the vehicle once a correct service disconnect is followed. BMW are definitely not behind.
Probably 2019 would be too early for an electric car anyway. Too small market for making money. Just look at Tesla, although BMW probably are much more capable of making a profit than Tesla. In the long run, I’m sure the electric leader will be called Toyota and we’ll all see that their strategy was best after all :)
How so? Toyota are hybrid, governments are mandating full BEV.
My last four BMW’s have been electric/PHEV. My current two PHEV leases toll in mid and late 2020. I really wish that BMW’s timing was just one year earlier, for my purposes; but I do think BMW’s timing is correct. GE was always a more successful company (until recently) than Westinghouse because, while Westinghouse was frequently first in a market, GE came in second with a superior product. I don’t see a lot of mention of Tesla’s most significant action developing their market: the charging infrastructure. They built out metropolitan charging stations and included their electricity as part of the cost of the early cars. They were the first to construct inter city charging stations. The VW “Electrify America” charging station effort with 150KW stations in metropolitan areas and in inter city areas will become a reality in 2020. That will blunt Tesla’s market advantage and BMW’s timing coincides with this network’s availability. It is the loss of “charging anxiety” that will allow significant sales of electric cars to mainstream (as contrasted to early adopters like me) purchasers and provide buyers for all those electrified vehicles that BMW will be able to produce. PLUS, BMW has elected to make the production lines flexible so that the mix of forms of propulsion can be varied as the market changes. I applaud BMW for making a rational choice for market timing for electrification, even if it doesn’t suit MY timing.
The i4 proto shown in camo the other day was really disappointing because it is using a compromised platform rather than one designed specifically for an EV driveline with superior packaging. You can see how overly long the hood is and comparatively small the cabin looks. Sure, BMW will save money, but an electrified 3/4 series will not be competitive with a Model 3.
It’ll work. Don’t worry about that. Perhaps not as much range as Tesla, maybe more, who knows?, but will definitely be better at driving dynamics, interior/exterior, material quality/finish, premium/luxury feel etc.
I have no doubt BMW will better the Tesla in those areas, but not in packaging. And Tesla seems to have some intangible qualities that generate excitement not found in any other manufacturer at the moment. I have been driving a Leaf for 7.5 years now and am looking to replace it in about 2 years, so I am keeping an eye on the market. I would love to get a BMW, but the i4 will not make the cut. It seems obsolete already. One of the variations of VW’s MEB platform, maybe a small Audi SUV could be a winner. Heck, maybe even an updated Model 3 or upcoming small SUV might fit the bill if they get their manufacturing ironed out.
Im a big BMW fan but to be honest Im not a fan of the current BMW electric cars available in the US. I am happy to know new BMW electric models are in the works. I currently own a 2003 BMW Z3. Thanks to my trustworthy BMW Service Center, Bay Diagnostic https://www.baydiagnostic.com/ it is still running reliably and smooth. An electric BMW convertible would be awesome. Keeping my hopes up :)
I have an i3, and it is brilliant. (Don’t have kids or pets) I wanted to replace it with the i4, but now it seems that they’re building it as the 3/4-series. That’s not what I want. The way that they built the i3 really is what makes it so brilliant. I live in an area where the roads are heavily salted during winter (5-6 months a year), and because of the way they built the i3, rust is no problem. If the i4 is just a 3 series with a battery pack and an electric motor, I’m not interested. Maybe Tesla will get my money next time. Given the fact that nobody else would be making good EV’s if not for Tesla, they kind of deserve it.