After a few months we have known the new “safety car” for Formula E, the MINI Electric Pacesetter, it was the turn of MotoE (the Formula E counterpart in the field of motorcycling) to receive a new “safety car”: the BMW i4 M50.
Based on the i4 M50 that will hit the market in November, the “safety car” that replaces the i8 has two electric motors (one on each axis) and a total of 544 hp and 795 Nm of torque that allow it to reach the 100 km/h in 3.9s.
As might be expected, the M division has applied its expertise not only to the chassis of the new German tram, but also to the braking system and aerodynamics. In the aesthetic field, the BMW i4 M50 received a specific decoration where the gray paintwork stands out, contrasting with the green details.
This color not only makes its presence felt in the graphic details that adorn the bodywork, it was also used in the huge double kidney, helping it to stand out (even) more. Completing the look are the obligatory signal lights.
First steps towards the future
Scheduled for its debut on August 15th in the MotoE race held at the Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg, Austria, the BMW i4 M50 is, for Markus Flasch, executive director of BMW M, the most appropriate “safety car” for the 100% electric motorcycle category created in 2019.
Regarding the new model, Markus Flasch said: “With the BMW i4 M50, we have entered a new era and we are introducing the first all-electric BMW M (…) we are paving the way for a future in which the combination of high-performance sports vehicles and electrification is an exciting topic.”
For the Executive Director of BMW M, this model will “show that everything people value about the BMW M — the typical M driving experience with power and dynamics — is also possible in an all-electric vehicle”.
Based on an adapted version of the CLAR platform already used by the Series 3, the i4 is scheduled for release in November and will originally be available in two variants: i4 M50 and i4 eDrive40, with both versions relying on a battery that delivers 83.9 kWh of capacity.