After countless prototype sightings and leaked details, the BMW i4 is one step closer to production. Nine months after the Concept i4 debuted back in March, pre-production versions of BMW's Tesla Model S fighter have been rolling off the assembly line at BMW's plant in Munich, Germany. Each model is still extensively camouflaged and will likely be sent out on the road for testing before final test mules are sent to media next year. Hopefully, this means the i4's debut isn't too far away.

Previewed by the Concept i4, the i4 will take the form of a four-door fastback. Compared to the concept, the pre-production car's headlights look wider. And yes, the i4 will have an oversized kidney grille like the new 4 Series, which will contain sensors for the car's semi-autonomous technology.

While the i4 has reached a crucial stage of development, the final production model isn't expected to arrive until early 2022.

When it launches, the BMW i4 will be available in three flavors. Dubbed the BMW i435, the entry-level i4 will be offered with rear-wheel drive and a single electric motor generating around 280 horsepower. This variant is expected to cost around $45,000, which is around the same as the current 4 Series Gran Coupe. Moving up the range, the mid-tier i440 will have an increased output of 330 hp and possibly get a boost function that increases the power for a short period.

Topping the range will be the i4 M50, which will adopt a dual motor setup allowing for all-wheel drive. Combined, this setup will generate around 450-460 horsepower. Larger wheels and brakes will also give the i4 M50 a sportier appearance than its standard siblings.

Both the i440 and i4 M50 variants will go on sale in early 2022 in Europe and spring 2022 in the US, followed by the entry-level i435. Production is expected to start in November 2021 alongside the combustion-powered 3 Series and 4 Series.

While we still have to wait over a year for the i4 to arrive, BMW's electric onslaught has already begun. Production of the iX3, BMW's first-ever electric SUV, began back in October and is already on sale in China.