The BMW i3 and i8 launch was designed to make quite a splash recently and while we’ve all been following these two models for quite some time, don’t expect the ‘i’ phenomenon to let up anytime soon. After the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept became the BMW i8, and the i3 is set to be the citycar in the line-up, reports suggest we can expect two more new models to join the line-up soon.
The BMW i4 and i5 would use the same carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) materials as the first two models. They would also use modified powertrains of the original i3 and i8, although those two opposing ends of the scale will probably represent sacred cows in terms of not making anything too similar to cannibalise the market. The options do provide, however, some convenient economies of scale for BMW.
The BMW i4 would be a two-door model using the same platform as the i3 but with a sportier, coupé-like design. That would probably mean the i3 powertrain set-up would be adapted to the lower, wider stance and sportier drive, although its range extending technology would possibly be included.
The BMW i5 would be a kind of sport sedan and would provide a hybrid competitor to a vehicle like the Audi A5 Sportback. It would have the same 1.5-litre turbo engine and electric motors as the i8, but would certainly deliver less than the 260 kW of the i8 so as to leave the supercar its territory. That BMW is planning on expanding the i range is no surprise, but these are quite detailed rumours, so stay tuned for more information – possibly even after BMW gets the first two production models off the ground.
