Even though I didn’t like the way the car was set up, the drive and vehicle quality were outstanding.
The i4 felt firm all over, which was surprising coming from a set of Teslas that make a sound like I’m slamming the cutlery drawer every time I shut the door. The inside is extremely lovely, and I enjoy how maps are projected in widescreen on Android Auto and CarPlay. This configuration, known by BMW as iDrive 8, is controlled by a huge, curved 14.9-inch touchscreen that is smoothly merged with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The adjustable lateral snugness in particular makes the seats especially pleasant. Absolutely, this is a car for the driver.
It is almost unfair that BMW developed its famed ride with combustion engines and now has a smoother, quieter, and faster transmission. There is hardly no road noise. Turns are reliable and enjoyable. You could say that the i4 virtually begs you to screech the wheels. The driver is enticed to exceed the limits since the car feels over-engineered in many respects.
Although the i4 is more than 1000 pounds heavier than the gas-powered versions of this car, that weight is batteries, which are low to the ground, which I believe improves handling. But it lacks a nimble feeling.
In This Article...
Overview
The BMW i4 sedan is an essential component of the company’s growing EV lineup. With a battery powertrain and extremely refined driving characteristics, it delivers the styling of the 4-series Grand Coupe. Three different i4 variants are available: The eDrive35 has 281 horsepower and 260 miles of EPA range, while the eDrive40 delivers 335 horsepower with an estimated 300 miles of driving. The first two models are single motor rear-drive. In the fiery, all-wheel-drive, 536-hp i4 M50, the distance shrinks to 245 miles. It is a huge praise that the latter drives like an M3 with greater handling. Compared to an M3 Competition, the M50 accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.3 seconds and from 50 to 70 mph in just 2.0 seconds, which is 0.7 seconds faster than the BMW. The i4 is a superb daily driver when not engaged in ab-toning acceleration runs. It’s a thrilling and elegant sedan with a supple ride and highly rewarding sports-sedan handling, while lacking the steering feel we prefer in other M cars.
Touring EV specs be damned
The i4 presents itself like a large tourer when driving. Luckily, it has enough range for the majority of road trips. The EPA estimates that the vehicle will travel 301 miles on 18-inch wheels before running out of battery power. The EPA claims that the larger 19-inch wheels on the review car the automaker provided reduce the range to 282 miles. A vehicle’s range is often reduced by larger wheels.
The i4 provided a range of 303 miles on my real-world range test, which comprised 50 miles of highway driving at 70 mph and 50 miles of backroad and suburban driving. Over the EPA’s predicted range, that represents a 21-mile increase.
The battery pack itself has a gross capacity of 83.9 kWh and a usable daily capacity of 81.5 kWh for the car.
According to BMW, the vehicle can still receive up to 200kW of electricity via DC fast charging even though it is parked on a 400-volt base. The i4 outperformed that figure in our test, charging at 210kW, once more surprising expectations.
It doesn’t recharge its battery as quickly as the 250kW-capable Tesla Model 3. Nevertheless, with charge rates of 155kW and 170kW, respectively, it is faster than the Polestar 2 and Mercedes EQE. The i4 is firmly in the middle of the pack and doesn’t have the Tesla’s charging rates or the offers from Kia and Hyundai, but it does combine better than expected range and charge rates, which should allay any concerns about long road trips.
The onboard charger allows up to 11kW of level 2 AC charging at home. According to BMW, it will take roughly 8.25 hours to fully charge the i4 from empty to full, which is more than enough time for it to be ready to leave in the morning.
It seems as though the Model 3 has finally encountered a rival.
The eagerly awaited BMW i4 has arrived, and so far, it seems to live up to the expectations. According to this recent assessment by Carbuyer, the i4 is a thoroughly remarkable electric vehicle and is arguably the first true Tesla Model 3 competitor.
The i4 is one of the best-driving electric cars, according to the host of the channel, Nicola Hume. She evaluated the eDrive 40, which trades off performance for range. Still, it is fairly quick; the time from 0 to 60 mph is only 5.7 seconds. It has excellent balance and precision steering. She observed that compared to a Model 3, it drives and handles significantly better in her opinion.
The eDrive40’s real-world range is excellent; under typical circumstances, you can expect to travel more than 300 miles on a single charge. The ride quality is good. Although the entertainment system can occasionally be unnecessarily confusing, the interior quality is excellent. The seat is comfortable, and the driving position is ideal. Legroom is adequate in the back, however headroom can be constrained due to the i4’s sloping roof. Despite the absence of a frunk, the trunk has plenty of room. The version Carbuyer recommends is the lowest Sport trim eDrive40 because it still comes with a ton of amenities as standard.
Nicola concluded by saying that the i4 was an excellent electric vehicle with excellent handling and ride comfort. The range is outstanding, and the interior is best in class. There is no trunk, the infotainment system is a little challenging to understand, and the rear passenger capacity should be improved. Despite this, she still considers the i4 to be one of the greatest electric vehicles now available and to be an improvement over the long-reigning Model 3.
Review of the BMW i4 eDrive40: Effective and Entertaining
You don’t need to spend more money on the more potent M50 to acquire a very beautiful BMW i4, which has excellent driving manners and a comfortable, tech-forward cabin.
My preferred BMW 4 Series model is the electric i4. It contains all the entertainment and safety technology I could ever want in a new car, is incredibly fun to drive, and is surprisingly practical. The best part is that this is true for both the base eDrive40 and the top-of-the-line i4 M50.
Although it has some great cornering grip and is rather speedy in a straight line, its electrical power restrictions make it a letdown for drivers.
3.9 seconds from 0 to 60 mph
The BMW i4 M50 is an extremely fast vehicle. Its dual electric motors have a combined output of 536 hp and 586 lb-ft, and an 80.7 kWh battery pack powers them. On a surface that was rather muddy and dusty, I was able to achieve a 3.9 second 0-60 mph time while using launch control. That was swift! However, I’d like to see what it’s capable of with a good launch pad. To be honest, however, 0-60 mph times aren’t really significant in the real world. Instead, what counts is that the i4 M50’s spaceship-like noises and full-throttle acceleration make it feel like you’re being shot out of the Death Star, and it’s hilariously entertaining.
With the exception of the iDrive 8 screen, the interior of the BMW i4 M50 is identical to that of the 4 Series Gran Coupe. The seats, center console, switchgear, dashboard, and even the center console are all same. This makes sense because the i4 is intended for typical BMW automobile purchasers. Additionally, the BMW i4 M50 accomplishes something really exceptional for an electric vehicle by including some distinctive sounds, thanks to the assistance of Grammy Award–winning composer Hans Zimmer.
The BMW i4 is an electric vehicle for non-electric vehicle buyers. BMW’s first-ever electric sport sedan is a spectacular vehicle, but if it were priced the same as the M3, would you still choose a gasoline-powered vehicle over an electric one? Let’s investigate!
How much will the BMW i4 set you back?
The 2023 BMW i4 luxury compact electric automobile includes many of the same outstanding features as a normal BMW, but without a gasoline engine. Starting prices are $51,400.
How much time can a BMW i4 last?
What is the BMW i4’s range? When driving under optimal conditions, the BMW i4 Gran Coupe models have an amazing range of up to 301 miles in the i4 eDrive40 and 270 miles in the i4 M50.
Is i4 trustworthy?
A dependable electric vehicle is the BMW i4, especially if you take good care of it. This electric vehicle is passably good and provides a lengthy driving range that other sedans in its class do not. The BMW i4 is ranked 7th among Luxury Electric Cars for 2022.
On the basis of our review of 9 pieces of research and data, it received a news score of 8.4 out of 10.
The BMW i4 features the 4 series’ fashionable design. On the other hand, it also utilizes the same technological elements as the i3 and ix.
Are BMW electric vehicles trustworthy?
Because they have fewer moving parts and less complexity than a car with an internal combustion engine, Fisher said, electric vehicles ought to be more dependable.
However, Fisher noted, “the firms introducing electric vehicles don’t have a century’s worth of expertise like they do with gasoline-powered vehicles, so that’s why we’re not necessarily seeing that.
He predicted that they would soon catch up, but warned that “growing pains” would be experienced in the meanwhile.
According to Fisher, the Chevy Bolt’s dominance in the dependability rankings is not unexpected. He claimed that General Motors has more experience than most other automakers and has created an electric vehicle more than 20 years ago.
It’s likely that electric vehicles will perform better than vehicles with 10-speed automatic transmissions, turbochargers, and all those other issues, according to Fisher.
Consumer Reports discovered that regardless of how reliable the vehicles were, owners virtually universally expressed great satisfaction with them. In the magazine’s most recent report, all models—aside from the Nissan Leaf and BMW I3—received ratings ranging from better than average to the highest for owner satisfaction.
Can a BMW i4 use a supercharger from Tesla?
Yes, you may use a Tesla charging station to recharge your BMW electric vehicle. It can have some restrictions, though, and you might need to purchase other components like an adaptor. BMW electric cars and other non-Tesla vehicles may use any of the numerous Tesla charging stations located throughout the US thanks to a few available Tesla adapters.
I’m Scott, a huge fan of BMWs and a long-time owner of these incredible vehicles. I’m here to chronicle my encounters with BMWs over the years and, hopefully, to be of use to others.
How many pre-orders for BMW i4 have there been?
Like many automakers transitioning to EVs, BMW has announced that it sold out of every 2021 model of its new i4 electric vehicle. With its all-electric iX Sports Activity Vehicle, the company followed suit.
In Munich, BMW recently began i4 series production. The company reportedly made the EV available for preorder earlier this month, and it swiftly sold out, according to a report by CarsDirect. According to the article, delivery of the i4 eDrive40 and M50 trims have both sold out.
Directly from the official BMW website, according to CarsDirect. The first deliveries for both trims are sold out, according to the i4 preorder page. BMW anticipates starting delivery in June 2022.
To pre-order the i4, customers have to put down a $1,500 refundable deposit. They’d probably have to wait until next summer for a second wave of delivery if they hadn’t already done so. Fortunately, next summer starts in June 2022, so maybe folks won’t have to wait too long.
The starting MSRP for the i4 eDrive40 is $56,395 and includes destination. Rear-wheel drive, a single electric motor, 335 horsepower, and a 5.5-second zero-to-60-mph pace are all hallmarks of this model. According to BMW, it can go about 300 kilometers on a single charge.
The performance-focused M50 will set you back at least $66,895. It has 536 horsepower and is an all-wheel drive version with dual motors. The M50 has a 3.7 second 0-60 time and a range of about 245 miles.
The subject of “how many were allocated” frequently arises as we continue to receive numerous accounts of EVs “selling out.” Although it’s not usually the case, automakers occasionally disclose that figure. According to what we gather, BMW has not publicly said how many i4 or iX vehicles will be produced for the first delivery wave. BMW obtained 2,095 pre-orders for the i4 and 952 for the iX in the US, according to a story we published in July 2021.
Tom Moloughney, one of our own, recently got the opportunity to test drive the 2022 BMW i4 M50, and he was impressed. View the video below, and more importantly, click here to read Tom’s article.