Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW M division previews electric feature with quad-motor i4 prototype

Wide-body version of the i4 saloon hints at potential electric BMW M3 alternative

BMW M EV prototype

BMW’s M performance division has provided us with our first look at what a pure-electric alternative to its beloved M3 sports saloon and M4 coupe could look like, after cramming a quad-motor powertrain into a i4 M50.

While the regular i4 M50 uses a dual-motor setup, with one electric motor on each axle, the new “so-called concept test vehicle”, as BMW calls it, features one on each wheel, just like the Lotus Evija or Rimac Nevera hypercars.

Advertisement - Article continues below

BMW hasn’t revealed any power output or 0-62mph figures for the electric four-door coupe, but we expect the prototype would easily beat the i4 M50’s 3.9-second 0-62mph time. BMW also claims the car can recuperate energy back into the battery when cornering “right up to the limits of driving dynamics”, though it’s unlikely to come close to the M50’s 318-mile range.

In typical BMW M fashion, the wide arches on the prototype have also been widened significantly, to accommodate “specifically manufactured high-performance front and rear axle designs”. The regular front end of the i4 has also been replaced by a more divisive grille similar to the petrol M3 and M4.

“Electrification opens up completely new degrees of freedom,” says Dirk Häcker, Head of Development at BMW’s M division. “We can already see that we can exploit this potential to the maximum, so that our high-performance sports cars will continue to offer the M-typical and incomparable combination of dynamics, agility and precision in the locally emission-free future.”

However, BMW hasn’t shared when we’ll see a production-ready version of this prototype, or M division’s first fully fledged EV. Though, in the meantime, BMW sells several highly potent versions of its electric cars, including the 537bhp i4 M50 and 611bhp iX M60 SUV, with the 660bhp i7 M70 arriving in 2023.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Welcome one and all, I’m Ellis the news reporter on Auto Express, the brand’s former online reviews editor and contributor to DrivingElectric. I’m proud to say I cut my teeth reporting and reviewing all things EV as the content editor on DrivingElectric. I joined the team while completing my master’s degree in automotive journalism at Coventry University and since then I’ve driven just about every electric car and hybrid I could get my hands on.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

New BMW Neue Klasse X points the way to the BMW SUV of the near future
BMW Neue Klasse X Concept - front
News

New BMW Neue Klasse X points the way to the BMW SUV of the near future

21 Mar 2024
BMW iX2 review: electric SUV gets Bavarian butt lift
BMW iX2 - header
In-depth reviews

BMW iX2 review: electric SUV gets Bavarian butt lift

15 Mar 2024
New cheaper BMW iX2 eDrive20 brings the coupe-SUV within easier reach
BMW iX2 configurator
News

New cheaper BMW iX2 eDrive20 brings the coupe-SUV within easier reach

31 Jan 2024
BMW i5 review: electric, but at what cost?
BMW i5 - header
In-depth reviews

BMW i5 review: electric, but at what cost?

26 Oct 2023

Most Popular

Where can I buy hydrogen and where is my nearest hydrogen filling station?
hydrogen filling station
Your questions answered

Where can I buy hydrogen and where is my nearest hydrogen filling station?

A guide to where you can find hydrogen fuel stations in the UK
30 Sep 2024
Top 10 best plug-in hybrid SUVs 2024
Best Plug-in Hybrid SUV
Best cars

Top 10 best plug-in hybrid SUVs 2024

Not ready to go electric but want low running costs? These plug-in hybrid SUVs offer the best of both worlds
26 Sep 2024
Best seven-seater electric and hybrid cars 2024
Best seven-seater electric and hybrid cars
Best cars

Best seven-seater electric and hybrid cars 2024

If the regular electrified SUVs don’t provide enough practicality for you, then take a look at the best electric and hybrid seven-seaters on the marke…
11 Oct 2024