BMW M Electrified - Episode 1. The Next Level of Driving Dynamics [BMW M Video]

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by E63M6_G42M240i

Kinda wish they had a 4-door m4 (gran coupe). Hatchback looks even better than the m3 imo.

They sort of do ..

I drive a i4 M50 with 20" wheels as my daily driver.

Yeah, I know M-Lite according to everyone, but as a daily driver; it's a beast.

But for the topic at hand.
Having driven a 2023 i4 M50 for almost two years, I think what really needs to evolve, improve is battery tech.

With higher capacity/lighter battery tech BMW could do some amazing things. The current limitations involve battery technology.

It's not packaging. It's definitely not performance. A 80kWh battery has to weigh less that the 1100 pounds packaged it weighs in my i4.

It needs to weigh half; and we just aren't there yet. My i4 weighs 5000lbs, but it's less than the M5 and has 540hp and almost 600lb-ft of torque.

The weight just has to come down.

[Tejas1836]

Originally Posted by eman4517

I really want van Meel's sweater!

Are you sure about that???

[Erebor]

Originally Posted by ///M TOWN

The incoming i4M will be that car

The M2 will replace the current M4

I am actually not sure there is a M4 planned in the future. So far there is a Neue Klasse M3 ZA0 and Touring ZA1 scheduled, no word about a potential ZA2 M4.

[eman4517]

Originally Posted by Tejas1836

Are you sure about that???

Yeah, I like it. looks good in the pic (to me, anyway).

Caveat: Not his personally though, it might rub off on me, causing me to make bad decisions🤣

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by Erebor

I am actually not sure there is a M4 planned in the future. So far there is a Neue Klasse M3 ZA0 and Touring ZA1 scheduled, no word about a potential ZA2 M4.

There isn’t one planned it’s being axed

The i4M in development is a gran coupe

[Vmohan5072]

Originally Posted by eman4517

Hopefully it's in my BMW R&D neighbor's driveway soon!

Oh, to be a fly on the wall at Garching!!

Oh to be able to work at BMW is a dream. Insanely jealous of your neighbor

[E63M6_G42M240i]

Originally Posted by techwhiz1

They sort of do ..

I drive a i4 M50 with 20" wheels as my daily driver.

Yeah, I know M-Lite according to everyone, but as a daily driver; it's a beast.

But for the topic at hand.
Having driven a 2023 i4 M50 for almost two years, I think what really needs to evolve, improve is battery tech.

With higher capacity/lighter battery tech BMW could do some amazing things. The current limitations involve battery technology.

It's not packaging. It's definitely not performance. A 80kWh battery has to weigh less that the 1100 pounds packaged it weighs in my i4.

It needs to weigh half; and we just aren't there yet. My i4 weighs 5000lbs, but it's less than the M5 and has 540hp and almost 600lb-ft of torque.

The weight just has to come down.

I hear, you but the styling of the i4 m50 is certainly less aggressive than the g82. For one thing, the grill (imo) looks better on the M cars than 4 series m performance or base models.

[kamendex]

Originally Posted by ///Avera

Everyone has a choice . . . and the masses have spoken

Do not take this personally . . . we are only talking about disposable mechanical devices

///Avera

I can only assume the "masses" you are referring to are the republican voters in the USA. Elon Musk is part of this "mass" and he is obviously very pro EV. Carry on with your bizarre crusade.

[LuisBoston]

Originally Posted by techwhiz1

They sort of do ..

I drive a i4 M50 with 20" wheels as my daily driver.

Yeah, I know M-Lite according to everyone, but as a daily driver; it's a beast.

But for the topic at hand.
Having driven a 2023 i4 M50 for almost two years, I think what really needs to evolve, improve is battery tech.

With higher capacity/lighter battery tech BMW could do some amazing things. The current limitations involve battery technology.

It's not packaging. It's definitely not performance. A 80kWh battery has to weigh less that the 1100 pounds packaged it weighs in my i4.

It needs to weigh half; and we just aren't there yet. My i4 weighs 5000lbs, but it's less than the M5 and has 540hp and almost 600lb-ft of torque.

The weight just has to come down.

Agree. And it can/will.

But other people say they want 500 miles of range at -20F.

[jmack123]

Originally Posted by hufington

German manufacturers do the R&D and pay for it for the Chinese and Korean manufacturers (and Elon) to copy paste.

You trying to insinuate only the Germans are capable and the asians can only get by copying what the Germans do? Wonder how you came to that conclusion.

[jmack123]

Originally Posted by ///Avera

Everyone has a choice . . . and the masses have spoken

Do not take this personally . . . we are only talking about disposable mechanical devices

///Avera

All cars are disposable mechanical devices.

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by LuisBoston

Agree. And it can/will.

But other people say they want 500 miles of range at -20F.

The issue with 500 miles is that, less than 5% of people need that range for less than a few % of trips.

It makes no sense to force everyone to pay for range they will not use. So maybe a dual range strategy like the i4 eDrive35 vs the eDrive40. While I might go for 500 miles of range vs 300, but it depends on what the premium is.

We are going to need solid state batteries or something else with higher energy density with lower weight for anything real to happen.

[Jimc]

Can't wait ...very cool idea, and that white M2 looks really nice..ha

[mbanck]

Originally Posted by ///M TOWN

There isn’t one planned it’s being axed

The i4M in development is a gran coupe

The i4M in the YouTube video is a development mule, I don't think anybody confirmed thar an actual i4M GC is on the roadmap. In fact, no G26 successor seems to be on the roadmap at all AFAICT, the NA2/3 are supposed to be coupe/convertible...

Where do you have the "axed" info from, and do they apply, to the coupe or the GC?

[hufington]

Originally Posted by jmack123

You trying to insinuate only the Germans are capable and the asians can only get by copying what the Germans do? Wonder how you came to that conclusion.

I have been to enough technology fairs and expos in the last 25 years where European companies presented new technologies as a result of extensive R&D and with lots of Asian visitors taking detailed pictures of the displayed products and you see many Asian knock-offs emerge in no time.

Copy paste is the name of the game in China nowadays. I have visited several factories in mainland China where my clients built manufacturing facilities and we found out almost the same product was manufactured less than a year in a new similar plant nearby and sold for less as they skipped R&D completely. The lawmakers in China allow this practice as well.

Asians can build similar or better products but it is more profitable to copy and manufacture.

[hufington]

Originally Posted by Vmohan5072

Oh to be able to work at BMW is a dream. Insanely jealous of your neighbor

It's not that dreamy once you work there. I worked for both, BMW and MB, and they are no better than any other run of the mill large corporation.

[GearRex]

Lease, lease, lease. NEVER buy an electric car.

The battery technology will improve, and we have a long way to go until it matures. Every new generation will be better than the last, making the new ones more desirable, and for those who bought their cars, the used car values will tank every time, and no one will want to buy used ones as long as new ones are being subsidized, and the tech is much improved.

As far as the electrification of BMW, Porsche, Audi, is inevitable. In my opinion, BMW has been clever to offer different power train options, from ICE to full electric, managing this transition. This is great for Europe, not so much for the United States. Don’t get me started on the charging infrastructure.

Even Porsche has to comply. 911 will be electrified eventually. I do not think synthetic fuels will pan out for everyone - at scale. Only the very wealthy, but not enough to stop electrification for the masses.

I do have a problem of electrification by legislation, instead of free markets. Remove all incentives for electric cars. Let them compete on merit with ICE and Hybrids. Let the free markets decide.

[Refujeet]

I don’t understand the hate for BMW doing this..or progressing on EVs.

If anything BMW took the most conservative/prudent approach and brought ice, hybrid and EV options, rather than going all in on any of them.

I have a gas (X7 v8), hybrid (x5) and fully electric (iX) bmw, and they are all great at their own thing. And it’s an obvious choice what we take depending on the use.

In my opinion it’s going to result in better outcomes for whoever is the winner. Living in a city where the temperature can fluctuate 60+ degrees Celsius in a year, I don’t think any one option is great…yet!

[LuisBoston]

Originally Posted by GearRex

I do have a problem of electrification by legislation, instead of free markets. Remove all incentives for electric cars. Let them compete on merit with ICE and Hybrids. Let the free markets decide.

Agree: get rid of all subsidies for oil and gas too. No leases on public land/waters, no patrolling the seas with warships, don’t allow externalized emissions of carbon dioxide, none of it.

[kamendex]

Originally Posted by ///Avera

Huh???!

You might want to do a little research on the topic . . . I mean VERY LITTLE will go a long way in clearing things up for you.

///Avera

P.S. I do not care who or what Elon supports

I see, you speak in bizarre riddles. Carry on bro.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by mbanck

The i4M in the YouTube video is a development mule, I don't think anybody confirmed thar an actual i4M GC is on the roadmap. In fact, no G26 successor seems to be on the roadmap at all AFAICT, the NA2/3 are supposed to be coupe/convertible...

Where do you have the "axed" info from, and do they apply, to the coupe or the GC?

M4 will be no more when the current model ends production

It will be the M2 and the M3 if you prefer 4 doors

I seriously doubt the i4 will disappear

[Mikesbimmer]

I hope my 2025 M2 manual can be kept running until my last breath. That way I never have to drive an EV.