The launch of the new BMW i3 from the Neue Klasse sets an expiry date for the current i4

It is no surprise that the new BMW i3 is set to replace the current i4. Coinciding with the recent unveiling of the exterior design of BMW’s new saloon from the Neue Klasse family, various sources agree that production of the i4 will come to an end in the near future, although the exact date is still under debate.

As we already told you in a recent post, BMW is going to start selling the i3 in the 50 xDrive version, which features dual electric motors and all-wheel drive with a combined output of 345 kW. This version also comes equipped with a battery pack with a capacity of 108 kWh, thanks to which it is capable of covering up to 900 km under the WLTP homologation cycle.

Like all models of the Neue Klasse, the new i3 also features an 800V architecture, which allows it to enjoy a spectacular maximum charging power of 400 kW. In this way, at an ultra-rapid DC charging point, it is possible to increase the state of charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 21 minutes.

New BMW i3 and current i4 face to face

If we compare these main specifications we have just mentioned with those of the current i4, the truth is that the latter does not come off very well, as one would expect.

Launched in 2021 and based on the 4 Series Gran Coupé platform with fifth-generation motors (the i3 uses the new sixth-generation powertrains), the current i4 features a much more modest battery pack with 81.3 kWh of capacity, which allows it to cover, in the best case, up to 613 km under the WLTP homologation cycle.

The charging power it supports is also much more modest, with a maximum of 205 kW. It is therefore possible to increase the state of charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.

Just putting these figures on the table makes it clear that practically no one would opt to buy a current-style i4 when the new i3 is right next door at the same dealership as an alternative. Both models are also produced at the Munich plant of the Bavarian manufacturer, so withdrawing the i4 from the market will allow it to better meet the high expected demand for the new BMW saloon.

There are, however, some doubts about the exact date of the end of production of the current i4, depending on which source is consulted. Some point to late 2026, while others believe production will extend until next year.

For its part, BMW itself, regarding this matter, the Bavarian firm’s sales director, Jochen Goller, has assured that model changeovers are normal and, in this way, i4 volumes will progressively decline while the i3 gains ground, as had been planned. However, Goller has not given an exact date on which production of the i4 will definitively end.