The BMW i4 Plays A Hans Zimmer Score To Warn Pedestrians

• Production is scheduled to commence at BMW’s Munich facility in 2021.
• The i4 has a claimed WLTP range of 600km.
• BMW says that the 530PS i4 can do 0-100kmph in 4.0 seconds.
• It has a 200kmph top speed.

After hinting at its powertrain last year, BMW has unveiled the i4 all-electric four-door Gran Coupe concept. It will debut as a production model in 2021. Based on the 4 Series Gran Coupe, the i4 presents BMW’s vision for luxury sedans of the future. It features a striking exterior design and minimalist interior aesthetic. But does its curved display and panoramic roof give it the chops to take on the Tesla Model 3?

On the outside, it takes from BMW’s signature Gran Coupe styling. The first thing you’ll notice is the massive kidney grille. BMW calls it ‘prominent,’ we call it overwhelming. Since there is no normal engine which needs cooling, the only purpose this blanked-off panel serves is to house the front-facing safety and assistance sensors. Although the front end is busy and has air vents which could swallow small animals, the rear end is beautiful.

The i4’s interior is much less polarising. Step into the driver’s seat and you’re greeted by BMW’s Curved Display which combines the driver instrumentation and infotainment controls into one panoramic touch panel. BMW has tried to keep buttons to a minimum so most functions, including those for heating and ventilation, are operated from the touchscreen. The i4 has a full glass sunroof, too.

It has three driving modes: Core, Sport, and Efficient. Core is the default and Sport changes the ambient lighting and instrumentation (and probably unleashes all 530 horses). Efficient mode has Assisted Driving View, a feature which relays information from all assisted driving sensors to the driver’s screen.

BMW has equipped the i4 with a 530PS electric motor whose output is on par with the carmaker’s V8 engines. BMW claims a 0-100kmph time of 4 seconds and a 200kmph top speed. The i4’s motor draws from an 80kWh battery good for a claimed WLTP range of 600km. This is BMW’s fifth-generation eDrive powertrain.

In some countries, electric cars have to be equipped with a mandatory pedestrian warning device. It usually makes a buzzing sound at in-town speeds. BMW’s Sound Designer Renzo Vitale has developed IconicSounds with composer Hans Zimmer. We can’t wait to see what that’s all about.

The i4 Gran Coupe aims to be a practical highway companion. A polarizing exterior shrouds a promising interior and BMW’s most innovative electric powertrain yet. It’s refreshing to see an electric sports sedan in this world of electric SUVs. With its BMW pedigree and attention to the driver, the i4 will give the Tesla Model 3 the company it has always longed for.