Powertrain families
Gen5 BMW eDrive
i4 (G26) — Gran Coupe
2021–present
Editorially reviewedReviewed 2026-08-10; market and model-year scope is stated in the record sources.
- Internal code
- G26
- Production
- 2021–present
- Body style
- 4-door fastback
- Platform
- BMW i · electric / PHEV
Body variants
i4 → G26 → Gran Coupe
i4 G26: history, design and engineering
How this generation came about, what made it different and how the selected gran coupe fits into the family.
G26 i4 brought battery-electric drive to the four-door Gran Coupé format and is manufactured at BMW Plant Munich on a flexible line shared with combustion and plug-in-hybrid models. It shares body architecture with 4 Series Gran Coupé but requires its own floor, rear structure, mass, luggage and underbody records for the high-voltage battery.
The range began with rear-drive eDrive40 and dual-motor M50, later adding eDrive35 and further xDrive derivatives by market. Battery, motor output, charging curve and certified range vary with derivative, wheels, software and certification cycle; the M Performance i4 M50 is not a full BMW M car.
A 2024 lifecycle update revised lighting, cabin controls and equipment while model availability continued to change. Pre- and post-update cars can share core battery architecture without sharing every display, assistance, range or charging figure.
2021–presentgeneration lifecycle
1body branches
1engine/drive families
5range designations
G26factory code
BMW i · electric / PHEVarchitecture
Gran Coupe: dimensions and packaging
Dimensions can change with body, market and model year, so this page keeps them tied to the exact factory branch.
Length4,783 mm
Width1,852 mm
Height1,448 mm
Wheelbase2,856 mm
Luggage470–1,290 L
Fuel tank—
Seats5
Doors4-door fastback
| Body | Code | Production | Doors / seats | Length | Luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Coupe | G26 | 2021–present | 4-door fastback / 5 | 4,783 mm | 470–1,290 L |
Engines and powertrains
The generation could span very different engines and drivetrains. The table keeps output, gearbox, market and production period together.
Factory modification matrix
Documented gran coupe applications; output and availability remain market- and model-year-specific.
| Model | Years | Engine | Output | Transmission | Drive | Market | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i4 eDrive35 | 2022–present | Gen5 eDrive · rear motor | 286 hp | single-speed | RWD | Global range | The BMW i4 eDrive35 |
| i4 eDrive40 | 2021–present | Gen5 eDrive · rear motor | 340 hp | single-speed | RWD | Global range | The first-ever BMW i4 |
| i4 xDrive40 | 2024–present | Gen5 eDrive · dual motor | 401 hp | single-speed | AWD | Global range | The new BMW i4 and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé |
| i4 M50 xDrive | 2021–2025 | Gen5 eDrive · dual motor | 544 hp peak | single-speed | AWD | Global range | The first-ever BMW i4 |
| i4 M60 xDrive | 2025–present | Gen5 eDrive · dual motor · SiC inverters | 601 hp peak | single-speed | AWD | Europe | BMW model updates, summer 2025 |
Factory designations
i4 eDrive35 · i4 eDrive40 · i4 xDrive40 · i4 M50 · i4 M60
Electric drive
Traction motors, battery and charging hardware are derivative-, market- and production-date-specific.
High-voltage battery
Usable capacity, cell chemistry and charge rate can change during the lifecycle and must follow factory specifications.
Drive variants
Single- and dual-motor layouts, system output and range are recorded as separate factory derivatives.
How power reaches the road
Gearboxes, driven wheels and final-drive hardware changed with engine, market and production date.
Transmissions
Gearbox type and unit code follow engine, market and production date. Gear count alone does not identify the transmission.
Driven wheels
Catalog architecture: BMW i · electric / PHEV. All-wheel-drive availability and hardware remain derivative-specific.
Final drive
Ratio, differential type and electronic control belong to the exact derivative and can differ on performance models.
What changed underneath
Suspension, brakes, safety systems and electronics evolved across the range, even when cars shared the same basic architecture.
Body-branch dimensions
- G26: 4,783 mm × 1,852 mm × 1,448 mm
Body & suspension
- Mounting points and geometry follow the body branch
- Springs and dampers follow axle load and chassis package
- Wheels and permitted loads follow the factory label
Brakes & steering
- Brake size follows engine and equipment
- Assistance type and steering ratio can change
- ABS/DSC generation follows model year
Passive safety
- Airbag count varies by market and year
- SRS parts are VIN-specific
- Structural repairs require factory procedures
Electronics
- Vehicle-bus generations changed during production
- Control-unit software levels must remain compatible
- Retrofits are recorded separately from factory equipment
How the generation evolved
The important launches, additions and updates did not always happen at the same time for every body or market.
First i4 presented
BMW published the eDrive40 and M50 launch specifications.
Munich production
Series production began on a mixed-drivetrain assembly line.
Range expansion
Lower-priced and additional all-wheel-drive derivatives joined by market.
Lifecycle update
Revised lighting, controls and equipment accompanied continuing derivative changes.
The versions that stood apart
Performance models, option packages and regional editions may look related, but their engineering and production identity can be very different.
Gran Coupe
G26i4 G26 is a distinct G26 body branch. A four-door fastback combining a coupe-like roofline with easier rear access and a large tailgate or sedan-style luggage opening. Engines/drive: Gen5 BMW eDrive.
Inside the car
Cabin technology and standard equipment changed by country and year; a build sheet remains the best guide to one individual car.
Cabin & comfort
- Trim and seats follow option codes
- Climate systems vary by market
- Audio and navigation changed by model year
Lighting & assistance
- Lamp technology and modules follow production date
- Driver assistance cannot be inferred from buttons alone
- Regional rules affect lighting and warnings
What to check today
A practical starting point for inspecting and maintaining a car from this generation — not a diagnosis of an individual example.
Identify first
- Match VIN on body and documents
- Obtain the factory option list
- Confirm market and production date
Inspect the structure
- Check repairs and corrosion
- Assess suspension, brakes and tyres
- Compare fitted parts with factory specification
Mechanical history
- Read faults with compatible diagnostics
- Verify engine and transmission maintenance
- Separate invoices from unsupported verbal history
| Item | Interval / trigger | Catalog note |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | CBS/factory schedule; time and mileage for historic cars | Oil approval follows the exact engine and market. |
| Brake fluid | Time-based factory schedule | ABS/DSC-compatible bleeding procedure is required after hydraulic work. |
| Coolant | Factory schedule and condition | Fluid specification and bleeding method are generation-specific. |
| Transmission & final drives | Unit type and operating conditions | Use the exact approved fluid; no one interval fits every derivative. |
How to identify the exact car
The badge and registration year tell only part of the story; production date, body code, engine and factory options complete it.
- Factory body codes
- G26 — Gran Coupe
- Range designations
- i4 eDrive35, i4 eDrive40, i4 xDrive40, i4 M50, i4 M60
- Powertrain families
- Gen5 BMW eDrive
- VIN
- Identifies model, plant and production branch and keys the parts catalog and factory equipment record.
- Production date
- More useful than first-registration year when choosing parts and locating technical revisions.
- Type code
- Refines engine, body, market and transmission combination.
- Option codes
- Confirm factory equipment; later retrofits are recorded separately.
- Unit number
- Supports engine or gearbox originality checks and component applicability.
Where the information comes from
The story is mapped through English Wikipedia and its bibliography, then important dates and technical claims are checked against BMW material.
- 01BMW i4Wikipedia contributors
Secondary development, derivative, battery and production overview.
- 02The first-ever BMW i4BMW Group PressClub
Factory launch, body, eDrive technology, initial derivatives and delivery schedule.
Notes and limitations
- Research revision dated 2026-08-10: English Wikipedia was used as a subject and bibliography map; key claims were checked against the listed primary BMW Group material.
- G26 combustion, PHEV and i4 bodies share a family but not underfloor, battery, mass or luggage specifications.
- Published range must always name WLTP/EPA cycle, wheel specification and derivative.
- Tree years describe the worldwide generation lifecycle; individual market dates may be narrower.
- Exact dimensions, power, weight and emissions belong at body, engine, market and model-year level.
- Known-issue guidance is editorial context and never replaces inspection of the individual vehicle.
2 primary references · market differences documentedPhotography: © M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Wikimedia Commons. Rights checked 2026-08-06; wikimedia commons 1,800 px derivative downloaded; local 640 px and 1,280 px avif versions created without cropping.Updated 6 August 2026