German car manufacturer, BMW, has released a new all-electric i4 stylish sedan in the South African market.
Priced at R1.6 million, the machine is purely electric as per the company and the model is focused on driving dynamics from the start.
The German-based car maker says, initially, only one model variant will be available from launch – the i4 M50 performance model.
In a statement to the media – the model uses one electric motor at the front axle – the other is placed at the rear to deliver a system output of 400kW, and the vehicle has a range of up to 510 kilometres per cycle.
The car boasts an integrated heating and cooling system for the interior and the drive system operates utilising an exceptionally efficient heat pump.
“An integrated heating and cooling system for the interior, the high-voltage battery, and the drive system – which operates using an exceptionally efficient heat pump function – comes as standard in the BMW i4,” said the company in a statement.
“Anticipatory thermal management allows the operating temperature of the high-voltage battery to be optimised ahead of a stop at a fast-charging station, paving the way for rapid and efficient charging.”
The luxury car maker produces a brand that is a crowd favourite in South Africa, said the Combined Charging Unit (CCU) of the BMW i4 has been designed to enable extremely flexible battery charging.
“For example, in a short mid-journey stop at a high-power charging station, the car’s range can be increased by as much as 140 kilometres (BMW i4 M50) within 10 minutes from a 10% charge level,” added BMW.
“The BMW i4 model in South Africa is supplied complete with the BMW Charging Card, a Flexible Fast Charger for charging at up to 11 kW, and a mode two charging cable.”
Apart from route monitoring and automatic speed limit assist, some of the features include a three-zone automatic climate control system, seat heating, steering wheel heating, and remote software upgrades among others.
Main image: BMW/Twitter