While it once was a badge reserved for only the most extreme cars that BMW produced, the M badge now sits on a number of cars throughout its range, but the i4 M50 is the first all-electric car to wear it, which is quite a big deal.
Just recently, BMW New Zealand confirmed local pricing for the all-electric i4 range, which features both the i4 eDrive40, as well as the highly-anticipated i4 M50.
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In New Zealand, the i4 range is going to start at $109,990 for the eDrive40, which fits nicely between base 420i Gran Coupé M Sport and M440i xDrive Gran Coupe, according to the German brand.
This edrive40 features an 84kWh battery, which should be good for around 590km of range according to the WLTP cycle.
Power and torque sit at 250kW and 430Nm respectively, and the 0-100km/h sprint will be completed in around 5.7 seconds. A single motor sits on the rear axle, sending power exclusively to the rear wheels.
At the other end of the range is the M50, which will start from $137,900, and looks to bring the fight to high-performance BEVs like Tesla's Model 3 Performance.
Like other high-performance BEVs, this M50 gets a dual-motor system, allowing for an all-electric all-wheel drive system.
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An 84kWh battery provides up to 510km of range off a single charge, according to the WLTP cycle.
The dual-motor system is good for 400kW and over 790Nm, meaning that the first all-electric M car will hit 100km/h in 3.9 seconds.
Both i4 models have a maximum DC fast charging rate of 200kW, meaning that charging from 10-80 per cent can be completed in around 30 minutes. In terms of AC charging, the maximum rate is 11kW.
The i4 range is expected to land in New Zealand during Q1 of 2022.
