MUNICH — BMW has officially entered the race for EV market dominance. Namely, the automotive giant from Munich has announced the release of the BMW i4, their first fully electric car built to put a smile on drivers’ faces. The announcement came days after BMW had officially begun the development and production of its new E-drive.

The First of Its Kind

BMW’s i4 is set to launch its new fully electric sedan in November 2021. The new BMW i4 is giving its main competitors, especially Musk’s Tesla, something to think about. Unlike many of the previous attempts to disrupt the current balance of power in the EV segment, the i4 features promising specs that could potentially make it the first drivers’ EV car.

Not only that, but BMW has already announced the M-Performance version of the i4, called the i4 M50. As always, the M badge brings a unique performance package that gives this version of i4 a grand total of 400 KW, or 544 hp. The power is delivered through the new eDrive to all four wheels, thus hinting at absurd acceleration and 0-60 times.

The regular version of the car is nothing to scoff at either. Those who decide to give BMW’s EV sedan a try can expect to get 340 hp in a rear-wheel-drive configuration. Although it has 200 hp less than the M car, the regular i4 offers 50 extra miles of range, maxing out at 367 miles per charge.

Familiar Driving Dynamics

While announcing the new car, BMW has made an effort to emphasize the presence of that traditional BMW driving dynamic. The company has made it clear that the new car is not like most other EVs on the market. The new BMW i4 is supposed to give drivers that classic analog driving experience. That’s a feat in a world many describe EV cars as soulless.

One aspect of the i4’s design that gives credence to this claim is the battery pack. Namely, BMW has pushed the battery pack all the way to the bottom of the car. As a result, the 110 mm high battery pack gives the i4 an extremely low center of mass — 53 mm lower than that of an ICE 3-series sedan.

Renowned Quality

Up until major car manufacturers became fully committed to making a switch to electric vehicles, this segment of the market was struggling with the quality of interiors. BMW, as well as few other brands, is bringing their A-game to the table.

In the case of i4, that means a luxurious, yet functional trim that gives off a notion of quality. The seats in the BMW i4 bring a familiar blend of comfort and performance, the likes of which the market is used to seeing from this brand.

Affordable Luxury

The absolute best thing about the BMW i4 is its price. BMW is taking a shot at Tesla Model S with this car, and they might just have what it takes to tame Elon’s ludicrous car. Although its range and rate is below what Model S offers, the BMW i4 has one major advantage over the most popular Tesla car — an affordable price tag.

BMW is looking to sit the i4 somewhere between $55,000 to $70,000 depending on the spec and trim. Even though exact prices are yet to be disclosed, this price range puts the i4 well within the affordable category considering what the competition has to offer.