End of the road for the BMW i4: The electric model is going out of production in favor of the new i3 model

BMW i3 Neue Klasse: The revolution that prematurely "retires" the i4 model

MUNICH – The automotive industry is going through a moment of radical change, and BMW has just drawn a clear line between past and future. With the spectacular debut of the new BMW i3, the second pillar of the Neue Klasse era, the Bavarian manufacturer is signaling not only a technological leap, but also an unexpected restructuring of its portfolio. The victim of this evolution? The current BMW i4.

While the i4 has been the spearhead of BMW's electric transition, even receiving a recent facelift, its days appear to be numbered. The confirmation comes from the very top of the brand's hierarchy, turning speculation into painful certainty for fans of the current electric Gran Coupe.

Game-changing technology

The new i3 is not just a simple update of the old name, but a demonstration of technological strength. Based on the Neue Klasse architecture, it introduces standards that make the current generation of electric cars seem outdated:

• 800V Architecture: Enables record charging speeds.
• Record range: Up to 900 kilometers (WLTP cycle), permanently eliminating "range anxiety".
• Ultra-fast charging: A power of 400 kW allowing the recovery of 400 km in just 10 minutes.

The end of the road for the BMW i4?

The statement that set the automotive market on fire came from Bernd Körber, BMW's product director. He was surprisingly direct about the future of the i4 model in the context of the new launch.

    “The i3 is more or less the successor to the i4. But you will see that our model portfolio will evolve in the coming years, while the range of electric models will expand. [...] For now, however, the i3 is essentially the successor to the i4,” explained Körber.

This strategy suggests that BMW does not want internal cannibalization. With the i3 being much more efficient, roomier (thanks to its dedicated all-electric platform), and faster to charge, keeping the i4 — built on a mixed (combustion/electric) platform — in production becomes difficult to justify economically.

Release calendar

Production of the new i3 is scheduled to begin in August, right in the heart of the brand, at its main plant in Munich. If forecasts come true, the current i4 could leave the assembly line by the end of this year, making way for a new generation of vehicles that promise to redefine “Driving Pleasure” in the digital age.

The first examples of the new BMW i3 will reach customers in the fall of this year, officially marking the beginning of the end for the German group's first-generation electric models.