The automotive industry is changing and it looks like it’s doing it at a faster pace than ever. Tesla just announced a revamped line-up, with the Model S and Model X getting a much needed refresh. This move, along with the specs of those two cars, is putting every other car maker out there on the spot. They need to respond and it looks like BMW is doing it already, with its BMW i4.
According to a new report coming in from Germany, the management in Munich is seriously considering to move up the production start date, as it feels it’s losing ground to newcomers and older rivals. Initially, as we reported, the BMW i4 was scheduled to enter production in November, this year. However, with the landscape changing this fast, the company is pondering moving things up to September or even August.
The car will be built in Munich and the plant has to be ready before talking about any production plans though. The retooling began last summer and took six weeks. According to BMW, the work has been completed and the BMW i4 can be built on the same lines as the current 3 Series sedan and Touring models as well as other versions. The all-electric Gran Coupe will be using electric motors supplied by the new production center over in Dingolfing.
The batteries for the BMW i4 will be made by the partners of the Bavarian car maker, such as CATL and Samsung initially, followed by Northvolt later on. The third EV from BMW is set to use the latest eDrive components available, including fourth-gen battery tech and more efficient electric motors. The car is said to have up to 530 HP and have a range of 600 kilometers on a single charge. If this report turns out to be true, we should see the first BMW i4 models on public roads before the end of the year.
Via: Handelsblatt
