BMW i4 facelift to topple Tesla with huge range and tech upgrades

The electric-car scene is moving faster than a speeding BMW i4, with the plug-in executive car due to get an update to bring it in-line with newer rivals such as the facelifted Tesla Model 3.

Spotted testing out on the roads of Germany, disguised test mules give us our first glimpse of the refreshed car, and give us an inkling of what to expect when it finally arrives, likely around the beginning of next year.

Heavily camouflaged front and rear bumpers indicate the facelifted BMW i4 will look quite a bit different from the original model that made its debut back in 2021. The controversial enlarged kidney grilles remain, however, and it’s possible that these could now be illuminated – just like in the recently-announced BMW i5.

Speaking of the i5, we can see from the spy photographs that the updated i4 will mirror that car’s vertical strake headlight signature, replacing the old ‘angel eye’ design. We can also see that the i4 will get redesigned taillights – just like the i5’s – with long thin strips of LEDs for the indicators.

Other cosmetic changes will likely include new alloy wheel designs, as well as perhaps a couple of new colour options. On the inside, we expect the BMW i4’s cabin to stay generally the same as before, with BMW’s latest iDrive infotainment system taking centre stage. Likely running the brand’s latest OS9 software, this features configurable home screen widgets, streamlined climate controls and programmable shortcut buttons.

With only two powertrains offered at launch, the BMW i4 is now available in entry-level eDrive30 form, all the way up to the shockingly fast i4 M50 flagship. Buyers can expect power and efficiency upgrades across the entire line-up, with the mid-spec eDrive40 model possibly now offering up to 400 miles of range – enough to match the newly-updated Polestar 2 and aforementioned Tesla Model 3.

The BMW i4 is one of the most expensive cars in its class, and we don’t expect this to change much when the mid-life facelift comes around. In fact, we expect a small uplift over the current car’s £49,995 starting price when the updated model goes on sale towards the middle of 2024.