What's the news?
BMW has revealed an electric, four-door saloon concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Called the i Vision Dynamics and incorporating next-generation battery technology, BMW claims that the car has a range of 600km, a top speed of over 200km/h and can achieve 100km/h from standstill in four seconds.
This showing is part of a wider strategy by the company to expand its EV offerings, as chairman Harald Krüger explains: "We have more electrified vehicles on the road than any established competitor and are committed to expanding our activities in the field of electric mobility as part of our NUMBER ONE > NEXT strategy. By 2025 we will be offering 25 models with an electrified drive system - of which 12 will be pure-electric. With the BMW i Vision Dynamics we are showcasing how we envisage future electric mobility between the i3 and i8: a dynamic and progressive, four-door Gran Coupe. We are therefore electrifying the heart of the BMW brand and, at the same time, elevating BMW i into a totally new dimension."
It's widely reckoned that the production version of the car will carry the 'i5' moniker, with a launch date of 2021, and the concept's official reveal follows on from earlier renderings and images leaked online. BMW R&D boss Klaus Fröhlich has stated that the new 'i' car will feature the company's next-generation battery electric technology, claiming big advantages in range and performance thanks to new battery cell and motor systems.
The concept also hints at a future design direction for the brand, and specifically for 'i' models, with emphasis on the philosophy of "I do more with less". Particular attention is paid to the shared driving experience for the occupants, something that will become ever more relevant with the progress of autonomous and connected driving technology.
Anything else?
BMW's other Frankfurt exhibits included the 2018 M5 super saloon, the X7 iPerformance concept and the updated BMW i3.