BMW I4 vs LDV ET60

What's the difference?

BMW has been incredibly smart with its electric vehicle (EV) offerings in Australia to date.

Ever since the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption was introduced for novated lease buyers of EVs under the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold, the German brand strategically introduced versions of its EVs that qualify.

The BMW i4 eDrive35 electric liftback, which is based on the locally defunct 4 Series Gran Coupe, is one of these cars.

It recently received a mid-life update that brought more range and features, while remaining under the LCT threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles.

However, the plot thickens. BMW is soon set to launch its new i3 electric sedan which is based on the company’s Neue Klasse dedicated electric architecture.

BMW hasn’t given the i4 an official production end date, however overseas reports indicate it’ll end as soon as next year to make way for the new i3.

Should you hold out for this new-generation car, or does the i4 still hold up? Read on to find out.

This is it: Australia’s first fully electric ute.

It is telling of the times that the eT60, a dual-cab, no less, doesn’t come from a traditional titan of Australia’s car market like Ford, Nissan or Toyota.

Instead, it comes from Chinese upstart, LDV. The brand has already made a name for itself importing affordable alternatives to these mainstream rivals.

The combustion version of the T60 is chipping away at the market share of established names, commanding nearly six per cent of the light commercial market, placed fifth behind Mitsubishi.

Can the brand be more than a cut-price option, though? Does it have what it takes to be a first-mover with its all-electric dual-cab? We drove a pre-production example at its Australian launch to find out.