- Electric BMW will compete with the Tesla Model 3
- i4 can travel up to 370 miles on a single charge
- Prices start at £ 52,000
The BMW i4 can be ordered from a starting price of 52,000 euros. The i4 will most likely hit showrooms in 2022, rivaling the Tesla Model 3, which is more than £ 10,000 cheaper.
So it’s not a bargain, but the i4 is the German automaker’s first attempt at everything you like about a modern BMW – stylish design, luxurious interior, and sharp driving dynamics – to shape an electric powertrain.
Stylistic look? Well, we let you decide.
In advance, you will receive the grille that first appeared in the new 4 Series. It’s not that noticeable now, and the i4 has a flush finish with a bezel that can be opened to cool the motors if necessary. Aerodynamics have a lot in design.
For example, the BMW has a slippery profile with a coupé-like roofline reminiscent of the Tesla Model S and door handles that sit flush in their housings. You can also opt for 17 inch wheels with plastic inserts that help them penetrate the air more easily and add 10 km to your overall range. Standard 17, 18 and 20 inch wheels are also available.
Around the back you’ll find a rear diffuser glued to the end of the BMW’s completely flat bottom, which in turn helps reduce drag. The diffuser, the lower area between the wheels where the battery is housed and the opening grille are kept in iBlue highlights to underline the perceived environmental friendliness of the i4.
If the exterior confirms BMW’s idiosyncratic styling of late, the interior proves that it still knows how to make a great cabin. A huge infotainment screen aside, it looks like a conventional BMW with expensive materials on display everywhere.
The huge display is actually made up of two screens – a 12.3-inch digital instrument and a 14.9-inch center display – that look like one.
It hints at the driver in true BMW tradition and comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so you can project your phone’s apps onto the car’s big screen for things like music playback and navigation. A small but revolutionary update is the i4’s ability to project your phone’s display onto the display behind your steering wheel, not just the one in the center of the dashboard – very handy when you’re following the sat nav.
The second big revolution is how spacious the i4 feels. It’s about the same size as a 3 Series, but according to BMW, you get a lot more legroom in the front and back. You also get five full-size seats instead of two and a three-seat bench with a center chair that is only suitable for your enemies.
The trunk is actually a bit less than a 3 Series – 470 liter play 480 – but the i4’s tailgate makes it easy to load bulky items. It works electrically so you don’t have to worry about opening it.
The big news with the i4 is, of course, that it’s electric – you have a choice of two models, the eDrive40 and the M50.
The eDrive40 is best thought of as the long-haul variant – it will cover nearly 370 miles on a single charge. Rear-wheel drive with a single electric motor with 340 hp and 430 Nm torque. It’s enough to get the BMW from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.7 seconds – as fast as a Ford Escort RS Cosworth, in case you are wondering – and get it to a top speed of 118 km / h.
On the other side, you’ll find the M50 performance model (shown in blue below). It looks sportier and adds a motor up front to make it all-wheel drive, with a combined output of 544 hp and 795 Nm of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed that is limited to 140 km / h to save the battery. The M50 has a range of 320 miles at best.
The all-wheel drive of the M50 can transfer power to the wheels with the most grip much faster than a mechanical system and is designed to be extremely dynamic. It also has bigger brakes and adaptive dampers that allow you to switch between a smooth and firm ride.
To get the M50’s full performance, you’ll need to plug its Drive Select system into Sport, which activates the car’s Sport Boost. It releases all 544 horsepower and 795 Nm of torque for ten seconds, long enough to overtake but short enough not to chew through all of the juice much faster than you’d expect.
Whether eDrive40 or M50, both are equipped with air suspension at the rear and a battery-powered windshield, which should make them very comfortable on the motorway. A stability control system that is wired directly to the control unit and can be completely switched off should ensure fast and safe handling. Both models can also pull up to 1600 kg.
As already mentioned, the eDrive40 has a range of almost 370 miles, the M50 gets by with 320 miles. Both are powered by an 84 kWh battery that comes with an 8 year warranty (100,000 miles).
The range is accurately predicted by a display on the car’s infotainment screen and it can plan long-distance trips taking into account quick chargers along the route. The i40 has a charge speed of up to 205 kWh, which means you can charge 100 miles in just 10 minutes with a public charger. Charging at home – which makes sense because electricity is cheaper – takes 8.5 hours with a wall-mounted 11 kWh charger.
Regenerative brakes, which are automatically activated when you take your foot off the accelerator, take over 90 percent of the car’s braking maneuvers and are predictive. They are connected to the car’s navigation device and can automatically slow the car down for sharp turns and intersections.
The i4’s heat pump is another area preservation. It captures the waste heat from the drivetrain and uses it to keep the battery at the optimal temperature. According to BMW, it increases the range in cold weather by up to 31 percent.
Interestingly, BMW estimates that the i4 costs 30 percent less to maintain than a conventional model over 125,000 miles. Its engines are almost maintenance-free, there is no need to replace engine oil or exhaust gases, and the regenerative brakes ensure that the car’s pads and discs last much longer than a conventional car.
Ask HJ
I want one electric car to replace two diesel cars. What do you suggest?
I drive a 2011 Ford Galaxy, mostly for carrying grandchildren to school and for long highway drives. I have a 2007 Fiat Panda for local city driving. I get 44mpg or 60mpg, both diesel engines. Choosing a new car has been a nightmare for me so good advice is welcome. I want a car – possibly a good quality used car. Ultimately, I would like to have electronics, which are just too expensive for me at the moment. My total annual mileage is typically 11,000. My budget is € 15,000-20,000.
You can certainly get a good electric car within the budget. How about a MG ZS EV? It is a versatile electric vehicle with a range of 163 miles. Prices for a new one start at £ 25,495 but you can get an almost new one for less than £ 19,000. If you prefer something a little more premium (but less practical), consider a BMW i3. If you’re not ready to switch to an electric car, we recommend a hybrid model. A Toyota C-HR or RAV4 could be good choices. Or a Kia Niro.
Answered by Andrew Brady
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Ask HJ
Can you suggest a reliable family car replacement for our 15 year old Honda Jazz?
We are looking to replace a 15 year old Honda Jazz that we bought on your recommendation and that was perfect for us. But unfortunately it will take a lot of money to pass this year’s TÜV. We do a lot of very short trips, like a mile or less, but also have to drive 30-40 miles on weekends and occasionally keep driving to visit our family. We need space for 2 adolescent boys (14 & 11 years old). We love buying used and have a budget of around £ 15,000. Reliability is important to us and a few modern touches like Apple CarPlay would be great. My wife would appreciate keyless entry! Should we look for a hybrid for short trips? The annual mileage is expected to be around 6000 miles. What would you recommend? Thanks very much.
Can you charge a car at home? If so, an electric car might work for you … it would certainly be fine for your regular short trips. Consider a Nissan Leaf, BMW i3, or Kia Soul EV. All three would be a good introduction to EVs and should be practical enough for your needs. If you can’t charge a car at home, it sounds like a hybrid will work just fine. We recommend a Hyundai Ioniq – it’s a bit bigger than your Jazz and your budget gets a 2018 model with the rest of its five-year manufacturer’s warranty. Also consider a Kia Niro, especially if a crossover SUV body shape is appealing.
Answered by Andrew Brady
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