BMW i4 axed next year as more capable electric i3 takes over

BMW will phase out the i4 in early 2027 making way for the new electric i3 - a purpose-built EV sedan underpinned by the brand's Neue Klasse architecture.

The i3, revealed this week, brings a claimed 900km driving range and significantly faster charging - roughly double the capability of the i4 eDrive35 currently sold in Australia. BMW confirmed the two models will briefly run side by side in Munich before the i4 is wound down.

BMW product boss Jochen Goller acknowledged the transition was part of normal industry evolution, saying the i4's volumes would phase out as i3 demand ramps up.

The i4 has had an outsized impact on BMW's Australian EV sales. Deliveries jumped from 353 in 2023 to 2,062 in 2024, largely driven by the entry-level eDrive35 sitting below the Luxury Car Tax threshold - making it eligible for the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption under a novated lease. The base model accounted for 82 per cent of all i4 sales in 2024.

BMW Australia has already begun simplifying the i4 range, with the eDrive35 now the only variant on offer locally.

The next 4 Series - expected around mid-2028 - is rumoured to be electric-only, though BMW has stopped short of confirming that. A Touring wagon version of the i3 is reportedly due in July 2027.

Existing i4 owners are unaffected in the short term, with support and production continuing until the model's end.