2021 BMW i4 : 80-kWh battery, 530 hp, 373-mile range

2021 BMW i4- Did you know? BMW’s new electric sedan will take on Tesla with different Style and power levels, and a unique level of approach to manufacturing. And more, reviews

It is BMW, and you have to believe their vision for making electric vehicle. But do you think this will defeat the Tesla modal?

The BMW i4 EV will go into production in 2021, part of the automaker’s big offensive to launch 25 new electrified vehicles by 2023. The i4 will be BMW’s proper competitor to the Tesla Model 3, and based on new information Roadshow learned on Thursday, it should put up a proper fight.

Let’s start with the specs. The BMW i4 will initially be powered by an 80-kilowatt-hour battery, producing about 390 kilowatts, or roughly 530 horsepower. Accelerating to 62 mph will take about 4 seconds flat, and the i4 will have an electronically limited top speed of 120 mph.

The i4 will use BMW’s new, so-called Generation 5 battery packs, which are significantly smaller than the Generation 3 and 4 packs used in the company’s current EVs. This makes the cells easier to package in the vehicle’s floor, and allows them to be more easily scaled for smaller or larger applications.

These Generation 5 batteries are also stronger, meaning they can better handle fast-charging situations. BMW says that, on a 150-kW DC fast charger, the i4 should be able to achieve an 80% charge in about 35 minutes. For comparison, BMW notes that the i4 can add about 62 miles of range in about 6 minutes, while it takes the current i3 hatchback about 17 minutes to do the same.