2022 BMW i4 EV enters production, main plant to go ICE-less from 2024

BMW has begun production of its i4 electric sedan, signifying the first four-door electric vehicle to come from the manufacturer's Munich plant.

Built alongside the internal combustion engine and mild-hybrid powered 3 Series, the i4's production required an extra €200 million (AU$308.74m) investment from BMW to develop and prepare its factory for the EV.

While its powertrain and other ancillaries are different to the existing ICE models, BMW says around 90 per cent of the i4's cosmetic features are carried over from the current line-up, with the floor assembly and rear end accounting for the new tooling required.

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With the first units coming off the line in Munich, BMW AG Board Member for Production Milan Nedeljković said the i4 will be a catalyst for future BMW EVs.

“For the plant and team, the launch of the BMW i4 is a milestone on the road to electric mobility,” said Nedeljković.

“By 2023 more than half of all vehicles from our Munich facility will have an electrified drive. The majority will be fully electric. So Munich goes fully electric.”

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Neleljković's admission of BMW transitioning should be no surprise as the brand has already committed to an EV future, but this is the first time it has put a timeline on when its plants will transition from ICE production to electric.

With aims to phase out ICE vehicles from the Munich plant from 2024, this will allow BMW to focus on meeting its 2030 target of 50 per cent electrified vehicles – although its biggest push for EVs is coming from the Chinese market, with at least 12 fully-electric vehicles planned to be on sale in the country by 2023.

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BMW also said the i4 is "an important trailblazer" for its Neue Klasse platform, set to be BMW's first scalable electric architecture which will reduce costs by allowing its EV models to utilise a universal base.

An all-new electric sedan is set to be unveiled by BMW in 2025, potentially as a replacement to the ICE-powered 3 Series – while featuring solid-state battery technology.

The i4 is set to go on sale in Australia next year, with the entry-level eDrive40 carrying a price of $99,900 before options and on-road costs, as the range-topping M50 will retail for $134,900.