BMW used a certain system of names for years to group its models. The model series’ market segment was denoted by the first digit, and the engine displacement in liters was indicated by the next two digits. The last digit, which denoted the virtual displacement, basically signified the range’s power hierarchy. The engine technology was suggested by the letter at the end.
Cars with injection systems and gasoline engines were denoted with “i,” whereas diesel engines were denoted by a “d.” The letter “e,” which originally stood for “eta,” is now used to refer to hybrid vehicles and denotes energy efficiency. But as the company turns its attention to electric cars, the brand is evolving; the word “i” is now used before the model series.
With the release of the BMW i3, the trend of ditching the letter “i” on gasoline-powered vehicles started. Even though the range extender model had a gas engine, it was clear that something had changed because the ‘i’ was now at the front. The BMW i4, i5, i7, and iX are just a few examples of electric cars that follow this new standard. The German carmaker has now officially said that from now on, it will no longer use the letter “i” on gas-powered vehicles.
Bernd Körber, Senior Vice President of BMW Brand and Product Management, stated in an interview with BMWBlog that
“We would like to keep ‘i’ as an asset and we would like to keep it as a signature to indicate you’re driving an electric car and that was the logic that we had, even though historically our interpretation of the BMW i has always been different and involves more innovation than just electric cars. We also historically had an injection at the end of the badge.”
Essentially, the goal of this modification is to reduce misunderstandings between vehicles such as the all-electric BMW i5 and the non-electric BMW 540i. As BMW prepares improvements for the 1-Series, 2-Series, and X3, expect this trend to start showing up this year.
BMW has historically offered vehicles with no additional writing, which may very well be the case here. While it would seem reasonable for the company to adopt a new designation, considering that plug-in hybrids are marked with an “E” and diesel models continue to use the letter “D,” it’s important to keep in mind this history. Before the year 2024 is out, we will know.
