carandbike Awards 2023: Premium Electric Car Of The Year – BMW i4

India saw a whole wash of premium electric cars launched within the previous year, such as the BMW i4, KIA EV6 and the Mercedes-Benz EQB. After much debate and driving all three vehicles around the BIC, it was the BMW i4 that came out as the winner of the Premium Electric Car of the Year. While the Mercedes-Benz EQB and the KIA EV6 impressed the jury members, the driving dynamics, performance and technology of the BMW i4 gave it the edge over its competition.

The BMW i4 is based on the CLAR architecture, similar to the iX and has an 83.9kWh battery pack. A rear axle motor that produces 340bhp and 430Nm allows the i4 to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds (as claimed by BMW). The top speed of the electric sedan is limited to 190 km/h. Compared to the petrol-powered counterpart, the i4 does come with a few distinctive EV styling cues. It includes the closed-off front kidney grille, consisting of a 10-stage active air flap, a 17-inch aerodynamic wheel, blue accents on the outside, flush door handles and revised front and rear bumpers. 

As for the charging, BMW states that the i4 is compatible with a 205kW charger that can add 164kms of range in just 10 minutes of charging. Furthermore, using a regular 11kW wall charger with the i4, the battery can charge from 0 to 100 per cent in 8.5 hours. BMW also states that the i4 has a WLTP range of up to 590 kilometres.