2026 BMW i4 gets hotter M60 flagship, longer driving range
The BMW i4 electric sedan has been given yet another upgrade, this time bringing a new M60 flagship and a longer driving range for rear-wheel drive variants.
Production of the updated electric vehicle (EV) – the Bavarian brand's best-selling EV in Australia in 2024, when it outsold the entire Mercedes-Benz C-Class lineup – is scheduled to start in July 2025.
It follows a minor styling update released in Europe for the battery-powered mid-size fastback last year, but BMW is yet to confirm when any upgrades for the i4 will become available in Australia.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
'Any updates regarding the BMW i4 lineup for Australia will be announced in due course,' a spokesperson from BMW Australia told CarExpert.
Overseas, the 2026 BMW i4 M60 xDrive takes over from the M50 as the range-topper, with the dual-motor powertrain scoring an additional 42kW of power to take its total output to 442kW.
This shaves 0.2 seconds from the previous all-wheel drive liftback's official 0-100km/h claim, which now drops to 3.7 seconds.
BMW says the 2025 i4 range will use silicon carbide semiconductor parts in its inverter, resulting in a claimed energy consumption reduction of 4.5 per cent. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
The changes give the entry-level BMW i4 eDrive35 an improved driving range of 428km (WLTP) compared to the current version's 406km, while the updated i4 eDrive40 can travel 510km, which is up from 491km.
The German automaker shared no other powertrain changes, with the i4 eDrive35 – the most popular model grade in Australia – continuing to output 210kW and employ a 70.2kWh battery
The eDrive35 was introduced in September 2023 as the only i4 variant priced below the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold, helping BMW to become Australia's top-selling premium auto brand for the first time in 11 years.
While BMW Australia posted a 0.6 per cent sales increase in 2024, its rivals lost ground, with Mercedes-Benz sales down 17.8 per cent and Audi falling 19.5 per cent. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
BMW EV sales increased by a staggering 160.4 per cent year-on-year, helping the brand become the fourth-biggest seller of electric cars behind Tesla, BYD and MG.
Despite the success, BMW has said it will not pursue an EV-only strategy globally like some its rivals, and BMW Australia is considering the local release of the diesel-powered mild-hybrid BMW X3 mid-size SUV offered overseas.
The spinning propellor brand also recently revealed a 70-vehicle production run for the BMW Speedtop, which is powered by a 460kW/750Nm 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 taken from various M models including the M8 Competition.
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