Slated for production in 2021, the Concept i4 shows BMW’s future design direction and electric future.
The Concept i4 builds on the ethos set by the pioneering i3 electric city car and takes the BMW brand into a new era. The car features a large new kidney grille that’s blanked off, as it’s no longer needed as a cooling grille like internal combustion vehicles of today. The car also features BMW’s latest logo derivation, which depicts a 2D propeller design, moving away from the current 3D and harking back to the company’s heritage.
With an electric range of 372 miles from its 80kWh battery, and power output of 530hp, the Concept i4 aims to enter BMW into the electric compact executive sector, taking on the likes of the Tesla Model 3. Performance is one of many tricks this car is capable of, with 0-62mph acceleration taking just 4 seconds.
Inside, there’s a curved display that encompassed both infotainment in the centre and into the driver’s instrument cluster. Elsewhere, the cabin is remarkably pared back and minimal, which accentuates the space inside.
The car’s three driving modes (“Core”, “Sport” and “Efficient”) also offer a different take on the usual, as rather than changing driving dynamics, they instead alter the interior’s atmosphere and screens. For instance, the “Sport” mode changes dashboard “widgets” to appear closer together and sideways movements behind the zones are used to show how tight the next corner is, facilitating anticipatory driving.
“Efficient” mode debuts an “Assisted Driving View”, which shows the driver what the car’s sensors are detecting. The modes additionally emit different sounds from the car, which were developed in association with renowned music composer Hans Zimmer.
