New BMW i4 xDrive40 AWD and i7 eDrive50 RWD trims promise to grow the brand's EV appeal ^↺

BMW has announced some of the updates to its all-electric models for 2024, and, rather than a slew of EV options, the manufacturer seems adamant to fill out its existing roster with more variety for EV buyers. The updates in question are constrained to the BMW i4 electric performance sedan and the i7 electric luxury sedan.

The 2024 BMW i4 will be available in an additional trim, the xDrive40, that comes equipped with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive drive train. The 396-hp i4 xDrive40 comes with an 80.4 kWh battery pack that should power the electric car for up to 307 miles on the regular 18" wheels. MSRP for the i4 xDrive40 starts at US$61,600 with a US$995 destination charge. The rest of the i4 line-up consists of the RWD eDrive35 and eDrive40 variants, with 281 and 335 hp respectively, and the AWD i4 M50 that produces 536 hp. The i4 xDrive40 rounds out the i4 line-up nicely, serving as a capable middle ground between the US$69,695 M50 and US$58,095 eDrive40.

The other big update comes by way of the brand's cheapest i7 all-electric luxury sedan to date — the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive i7 eDrive50. BMW's i7 eDrive50 will deliver a respectable 449 hp to the rear wheels, while the range has yet to be disclosed, despite the rapidly-approaching Q4 2023 release date. Starting MSRP for the BMW i7 eDrive50 is US$105,700 with a US$995 destination charge. The existing dual-motor, AWD i7 trims top out at 318 miles, so it wouldn't be a stretch to assume the i7 eDrive50 might achieve similar range figures.

These new BMW options are set to bring a lot of premium electric to more affordable price points, but they're still squarely in premium luxury car territory. Some of the biggest wins for EV adoption in recent months have been related to price cuts and the democratisation of electric cars. Hopefully BMW catches on and introduces more affordable electric vehicles akin to the 2 Series to compete more aggressively.

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