2024 BMW i4 officially launched as brand’s fourth BEV model in PH

SMC Asia Car Distributors Corporation, the official importer of BMW in the Philippines, has officially launched the i4 G26 battery electric vehicle (BEV) for the local market. It joins the local brand’s lineup as its fourth-ever BEV model alongside the i7, iX, and iX3. 

2024 BMW i4 eDrive35

At launch, the Philippine-spec 2024 BMW i4 luxury EV sedan has one variant, the i4 eDrive35 and it is priced at Php 4,490,000. So what is this plush EV offering to its prospective buyers? Let’s find out. 

Exterior

On the outside, the BMW i4 assumes the form of an elegant four-door sedan with an assertive version of the brand’s signature kidney grille. Being an EV, the latter part is closed off on its upper parts and is outlined with an eye-catching blue trim color. Down below is a sizable vent and a black-colored front lip sprinkled with angular details. 

The blue-colored trims pops out

Flanking the grille on both sides of the front fascia are a pair of sharp LED headlamp clusters which are cleanly integrated and recessed into the body of the EV. 

From the side, the i4 gets a sleek outline typical of the brand’s higher-end compact executive sedans. This angle likewise shows the car’s short overhangs, its elegant frameless windows, as well as its stylish set of 19-inch aerodynamic wheels. 

Over to the rear, it gets a sloping window which terminates into a duck-tail spoiler. Below that is a pair of sharp hook-shaped LED taillights, and a sporty black-colored rear bumper that bears some aero elements.

BMW i4 from the rear

Other notable exterior equipment present on this slick BMW EV are rain-sensing wipers, a power tailgate, power-folding side mirrors, and an automatic on-off function for the headlamps, among others. 

Interior

Step inside the BMW i4 and you’ll be greeted by a luxurious cockpit that is dominated by a large panoramic display, and surfaces that are clad in plenty of polished trim pieces or soft-touch materials. 

A peek inside the BMW i4's front cabin

For the front cabin, the vehicle provides a pair of bolstered leather-clad sports seats with an electronic adjustment and memory function. The car’s interior temperature is managed by a triple-zone automatic air-conditioning system, while the mood is improved by an ambient lighting system.

Specifically for the driver, the 2024 BMW i4 offers a sport steering wheel that’s wrapped in leather. Most control surfaces are decorated with Galvanic trims, and parking visibility is ensured by a rearview mirror with an automatic anti-dazzle function. 

A majority of the buttons for the car’s varied driving features are positioned on the front cabin’s center console. This also houses the BMW Controller dial, its gear selector, the electronic parking brake button, and the drive mode selector, among others. 

The i4's rear seats

For the rear cabin, its seats can seat up to three but a folding elbow rest is available with two rear passengers on-board. Rear air-conditioning vents, seat-back storage nets (on the front seats), and a variety of USB charging ports are likewise present for this section of the EV. 

With all the seats up, the brand says that the i4 has a default trunk space of 470 liters. This can be expanded to 1,290 liters with the rear seats folded down. 

Tech & Safety

As mentioned above, the dashboard is dominated by a panoramic display. This is comprised of a 12.3-inch driver information display and a 14.9-inch central infotainment touchscreen. The latter gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot function. 

A closer look at its center console

The aforementioned central infotainment screen uses the brand’s iDrive software, while the digital gauge cluster is underpinned by the BMW Live Cockpit Plus. Connectivity to the outside world meanwhile, is ensured by the BMW Connected Drive. The latter can provide the i4’s owners access to emergency assistance, traffic updates, concierge services, and parking information. BMW Philippines said that the Connected Drive feature will be available from the i4 as well as other future models that will be offered by the car brand.  

During driving, the screens of the i4 can be controlled by voice commands via the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. Sound is then fed into the cabin via a 12-piece BMW HiFi speaker system.

Keeping one’s gadgets powered up aboard the i4 is done with a wireless smartphone charging tray, as well as USB ports. 

The Philippine-spec i4 comes with the BMW Connected Drive

As standard, the BMW i4 eDrive35 gets a number of driving assist technologies. This includes the BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Reversing Assistant, a reverse camera, and cruise control with braking function, among others. 

Further safety is ensured by standard features like anti-lock braking, dual front airbags, side front airbags, head airbags for the front and rear cabins, ISOFIX child seat anchors, tire pressure monitoring, speed-sensing door locks, traction control, locking wheel bolts, parking distance control, cornering brake control, and a tire repair kit, among others. 

Engine & Performance

Propelling the BMW i4 is an electric motor and 70.2 kWh battery combo that can churn out 286 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Power is sent to its rear wheels via an automatic, single-speed, fixed-ratio transmission. 

According to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), this electric Bimmer offers a range of up to 483 kilometers. As per the WLTP, the car can use 18.7 to 15.8 kWh/100 km.

Under the hood of the i4

The i4 also gets an automatic stop-and-go feature and regenerative braking for more efficiency and energy recovery, respectively. Furthermore, the brand says that this executive sedan is capable of a zero to 100 km/h time of just 6 seconds. 

Of note, the BMW i4 uses the brand’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform which it shares with the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe and the BMW i3 (G28). 

Ride comfort on this BMW EV is ensured by a McPherson strut for the front and a multi-link suspension for the rear. 

BMW i4 eDrive35 from the side

The BMW i4 eDrive35 is priced at Php 4,490,000 as of its launch. Included in its price is a five-year comprehensive warranty, a six-year BMW Service Inclusive package, an eight-year warranty for its high voltage battery, as well as a BMW Wallbox charger. The latter will be installed by a third-party partner at the BMW i4 owner’s home. 

For more car news and automotive industry updates, keep it here on Philkotse.