400kW BMW i4 M50 is the first all-electric M car

Welcome to the revolution. The BMW i4 M50 is a landmark vehicle, the first all-electric performance car to wear the ‘M’ of BMW’s performance sub-brand.

BMW M boss Markus Flasch teased the existence of a new battery-powered performance model in an interview with Wheels in September 2020 and now we can dig into the details of the final product.

Australian pricing and exact specification for the i4 M50 is yet to be revealed, but it’s due to hit local shores in the first quarter of 2022 and we’d speculate the price to fit neatly between the $111,900 M340i xDrive and $144,900 M3.

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It’s likely to be closer to the latter, but then this zero emissions Gran Coupe has the performance to back up the price tag. Under the floor is an 80.7kWh (83.9kWh gross) lithium-ion battery pack feeding a pair of electric motors, the front one producing a maximum of 190kW and the rear 230kW.

In regular driving they combine for a maximum of 350kW/730Nm but on overboost function in sport mode liberates the full 400kW/795Nm for up to 10 seconds at a time. In conjunction with launch control, this catapults the i4 M50 to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 225km/h.

Maximum range is claimed to be 510km using the WLTP cycle, with the use of a DC fast charger topping the battery up from 10 to 80 per cent in 31 minutes, while an 11kW AC charger takes around 8.5 hours to charge from 0-100 per cent.

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The use of two motors allows for fully variable all-wheel drive, the i4 M50 using just the rear motor in normal circumstances to maximise range and efficiency, yet being capable of engaging the front motor as required in just a fraction of a second to improve traction.

It's the first all-wheel drive application of BMW's fifth-generation eDrive system, which includes the battery, power electronics and motors, which BMW claims now operate at 93 per cent efficiency, compared to less than 40 per cent for the typical internal combustion engine (ICE).

By electrically exciting the motors instead of using permanent magnets, the need for rare earth materials is dramatically reduced and BMW sources all of its battery materials and then distributes them to suppliers to ensure ethical practices. The lithium required for the i4's batteries is actually sourced from Australia, while all BMW's battery cell makers have pledged to only use renewable energy.

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The battery pack has an eight-year/160,000km warranty and BMW claims that the i4 reduces a car's environmental impact by 47 per cent over 200,000km when compared to a comparable ICE vehicle (using EU average electricity). It also claims maintenance costs are reduced by 30 per cent.

All of which is very laudable, but what of the driving experience? As ever, weight is the electric i4 M50's Achilles' heel. At 2215kg it's a hefty thing, though the weight is distributed fairly evenly at 48.1/51.9 per cent front-to-rear and the centre of gravity is 34mm lower than that of a 3 Series.

Speaking of, in size the i4 M50 is similar to an M3, being 11mm shorter in length, 51mm narrower and 15mm taller with a virtually identical wheelbase, though its quasi-hatch layout gives it an impressive 470L boot, which expands to 1290L with the rear seats dropped.

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Suspending the i4 M50 is the familiar BMW combination of a double-joint strut front end and five-link rear, with adaptive dampers as standard and self-levelling air springs in the rear. Wheels are 18-inches standard, but we'd expect Australian cars to receive the optional 20s seen in this image wearing wider tyres, 255/35 front and 285/30 rear.

Larger M Sport brakes feature 374mm discs and four-piston calipers at the front, though the vast majority of the i4's braking will be done by the regenerative capabilities of its electric motors.

Speed-sensitive steering in terms of both its ratio and power assistance is also standard, BMW claiming a quick ratio and easier effort at parking speeds yet greater stability and resistance at higher speeds.

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Inside, the headline news is the i4 M50's whopping new one-piece glass screen, which combines the 12.3-inch information display and 14.9-inch display into one single unit. It runs the latest BMW Operating System 8 and includes BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which includes more technology than we can possibly cover here.

Some of the highlights include an upgraded 'personal assistant' which can detect which occupant is speaking and display on the portion of screen nearest to them. The assistant can now also be given an individual name, which is getting a bit close to the movie Her for our tastes.

Level two autonomous driving capabilities have been expanded, with the i4 able to recognise traffic lights of its own accord, stick to speed limits and use the adaptive cruise to slow to an appropriate speed for corners and junctions as well as the usual suite of driver aids such as lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and the like.

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In an effort to give the i4 some aural personality, legendary music composer Hans Zimmer helped develop a number of start-up and driving sounds that play, or drivers can opt for complete silence.

We'll bring you further details, including pricing and exact local specifications of the i4 M50, closer to its launch in early 2022.