BMW debuted the potent M3 and M4 this week, but we mustn’t forget the automaker is also eyeing an all-electric 4. The BMW i4 debuted in concept form earlier this year, previewing a wildly styled sedan with performance to boot. Speaking with CarAdvice, BMW says the i4 will be the first electric car to get the M treatment, and it’ll happen in 2021.
“Next year we will launch the first battery-electric M car in the performance segment, based on the i4, as something to confirm,” Markus Flasch, CEO of BMW M, told the Australian publication. “Then we’re working on hybrid electrified performance and high-performance cars, but it is too early to disclose which ones it is going to be.”
It looks like the M-treated i4 won’t compete with M3 and M4, though. As of now, Flasch says, the battery technology hasn’t reached M-level performance just yet. This could mean the i4 M will be more comparable to the M340i.
“On the high-performance battery-electric technology, there is still some time that we need until technology is ready and can take it on with an existing high-performance car, like an M3 or M4,” Flasch said. “This will take some more time, but we’re working on that.”
It’s not just about power. BMW will also need to make sure steering, noise, and lateral dynamics match M performance standards, he noted. Another question is how to offer the M driving feel while managing the weight of a battery-electric car.
It’s unclear if the final i4 will deliver the same performance credentials as the concept. The concept sedan delivered up to 530 hp and could reach 60 mph in 4 seconds. The new 2021 BMW M3 and M4 make up to 503 hp via a twin-turbo six-cylinder.
