BMW has unveiled its new i4, a concept car that will take the fight directly to Tesla’s door.
It is part of an ongoing trend in the German car industry to offer credible alternatives to Tesla’s all-conquering Model 3.
Featuring a sleek silhouette and huge front grille, BMW says the car will give drivers 600 kilometres of range.
BMW’s first foray into electric vehicles came in the compact form of the i3, a battery-powered compact. Unfortunately, it failed to sell well and the storied carmaker currently has no counterpart to Tesla’s dominating Model 3.
“This kind of car, a sporty BMW sedan, does not exist with electric power on the market today,” chief executive Oliver Zipse said during the presentation.
Unlike the previous i3 model, BMW executives have said that the i4 will be profitable – and not a grab for market share.
“We already have half a million BMW electric cars on the roads and we want to double that number by the end of the year,” Zipse said.
The i4 is just one of a slew of new electric models that BMW has planned over the next few years, as carmakers look to escape from tighter EU carbon emissions limits – which bear hefty fines.
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