[Richbot]

I am shopping in this space. I want a sedan, not a small hatch, not a tall wagon, a sedan. I am an E90M3 and E63 AMG owner currently, and have had BMW's for a couple decades now.

I want an EV, sooner than later, but don't want a Tesla. I love Tesla but I love them in the same way I love 911's, I appreciate them and think they're awesome but don't particularly want that ownership experience. I don't trust them the way I trust BMW's ablity to turn out a finished product that works, is ergonomically and utility-sensible, and just generally well-supported before during and after release. They'll get there, but my family's experience with two teslas tells me to wait and let others enjoy the upsides (and the downsides).

BMW, for me, has always struck the perfect balance between price, performance, and utility with their small sedans. If the i4 strikes that same balance, I will be a buyer (lessor, probably, for the first time in my life, because touchscreens etc., and pace of innovaction in the EV space generally). They've gone a little wayward here and there, but the i4's close adherence to the 3-series' basic formula is really encouraging. The test mules have real tires on them and appear to be validating a big summer tire and brake package for performance drivers. I'm sure that combo will knock 50-60 miles off the "base" pizza cutter efficiency wheel adn tire setup, but I don't need 300 miles of range, and I don't need to get to 60 in 3 seconds. I want a taycan for half-off with half the performance, but with a legacy OEM behind it. Porsche's not going to make that car, and Audi is making weird crossover things, sooooo BMW it is.

I wouldn't sleep on BMW's ability to get this right. They have been making giant killers their entire lives. They just happen to finally have been challenged on their own turf by Tesla and find the shoe on the other foot. I think more likely is $60k base, $70k with a few "go-fast" options. In world of 10 year car financing and $80,000 Ford F150's, that's not such a crazy price point anymore. I think $50k for a base base car might be doable after incentives. I think it will lease at a rate comparable to the M340i.