BMW Australia will land its first direct rival for Australia's top selling EV, the Tesla Model 3,   in early 2022, but the BMW i4 Gran Coupe won't come cheap.

BMW i4 latest model || BMW Car ||
 BMW i4 latest model || BMW Car ||


 Two versions will initially be   available Down Under with the BMW i4 eDrive40 priced at just under $100,000 and the BMW i4M50 at almost $125,000 excluding on-road costs and at least four optional packs. 

That's significantly   more than the Tesla Model 3, which is now priced from just $60,000. Both i4 models are   available to order now by placing a $500 deposit online. First deliveries will follow in the first   quarter of next year following the release of the all-electric iX3 and iX SUVs in late 2021.

Delivering a full EV option to traditional buyers of the BMW 3 and 4 Series, the i4 is an electric,  mid-size, five-seat, four-door based on the 4 Series Gran Coupe lift back.

The entry rear-wheel   drive BMW i4 eDrive40 employs a 250-kilowatt, 430-newton-metre electric motor to drive the rear axle powered by an 80.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. It's claimed to hit 100   kilometres from rest in 5.7 seconds, offer a WLTP-verified range of 590 kilometers,  and take just 31 minutes to charge from 10 to 80% using a 200-kilowatt DC fast charger. 

Meantime, BMW's first electric M model, the i4 M50 upgrades to a dual motor all-wheel drive layout,   offering up to 400 kilowatts and 795-newton-metres in sport boost mode. It charges at the same rate   as the i4 eDrive40 and offers a 510-kilometre range, but can hit 100 k's an hour in a rapid   3.9 seconds and a 225-kilometre top speed despite weighing in at a hefty 2.3 tons.Â