AutoWeek Test – BMW i4

What is the BMW i4 for a car?

Among the electric cars, Tesla is just about the measure of things. New electric models of the established car brands, the ‘Tesla test’ is taken as standard. With the four-door Model 3, Elon Musk’s car brand even went head-to-head with premium petrol and diesel sedans, such as the Audi A4, BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-class. Now the Tesla Model 3 finally gets a response from the BMW i4, a low car based on the 4-series Gran Coupé. Not a traditional sedan, but a fastback with a large fifth door. In terms of concept, there is currently no other electric car that comes so close to the Tesla Model 3 than the BMW i4. Electric competitors such as the Kia EV6, the Polestar 2 and also the Audi Q4 e-tron are all built higher. And that, of course, also applies to the iX3, the electric version of BMW’s mid-sized SUV.

What does the technology of the BMW i4 look like?

We did our very first impressions in Germany with the thick i4 M50, equipped with two electric motors and four-wheel drive. This first electric M product, however, is more of an M Performance car than a true ‘M’, but it is just as fast with its 544 hp power. The i4 eDrive40 tested here will attract more buyers. Unlike the M50, this version has rear-wheel drive, provided by a single engine that produces 340 hp.

The performance of the BMW i4 eDrive40 does not lie. The manufacturer says that the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is completed in 5.7 seconds, during the measurement our test car took two-tenths of that time. Although the response to the accelerator pedal feels a bit ‘slowed down’, an intermediate sprint from 50 to 80 km/h takes just 1.6 seconds. From 80 to 120 km/h it takes 3.2 seconds. The top speed of the i4 eDrive40 is electronically limited to 190 km/h.

The battery of the i4 eDrive40 has a capacity of 84 kWh. BMW gives a range of 509 km, but with a neat test consumption of 20.9 kWh/100 km under cold weather conditions, we had 440 kilometers left. For a car like the i4 more than enough and a decent score; many competitors cannot match these figures. Although the i4’s electrical system operates at a voltage of 400 volts, the battery can be charged with a maximum power of 210 kW.

How does that drive, such an electric BMW i4?

On the road, the more than 2,000 kilograms of the i4 can be felt. The BMW is an excellent car and drives exactly as you would expect from an electric 4-series Gran Coupé: a nice road holding, a good steering feel with good balance. Despite the dynamism, however, comfort has not been lost sight of. We would omit the optional M-suspension of the test car, because it makes the suspension unnecessarily stiff and how fast do you want to actually go through the bend with a car like this? Although most of the weight is between the wheels, you can feel the pounds. They push just a little bit when braking and pull the car just that little bit to the side when turning. But that is not necessarily disturbing. The BMW i4 is a refined car, the driving comfort, the silence on board but also the finish of the interior are at a high level.

BMW has cleverly incorporated the batteries into the floor and thus saved weight, but the i4 will never become a lightweight. Still, it is a real BMW. The balance is right, the steering feel is there. The i4 does everything an existing BMW driver can hope for when it comes to electric driving and that is a pleasant conclusion.

What are the prices and what do you get in return?

The BMW i4 is not a cheap car. Prices start at just under €60,000 for the eDrive35 with a smaller battery than the other two versions. For a standard i4 eDrive40 you already pay more than 60,000 euros. A comparable Tesla Model 3 Long Range with AWD and an 82 kWh battery pack is about the same price. For so much money you don’t have to worry that BMW will send you off with a Spartan standard equipment. LED headlights, cruise control, air suspension on the rear axle with level control, Driving Experience Control with four different driving programs are all included in the price.

Safety equipment includes Traffic Sign Recognition, Approach Control Warning with Pedestrian Recognition, Lane Departure Warning, but this can be expanded at an additional cost to include Laserlight, a parking assistant with 360-degree camera, Adaptive Cruise Control and Active Protection, which anticipates an approaching vehicle. collision and already tighten the seat belts and close all windows automatically.

The test car that we borrowed from the BMW importer is designed as M Sport and equipped with all kinds of tempting options: the High Executive package, a lowered chassis, sports seats, a sports steering wheel and many other sporty accents and logos. Then there are thick wheels, an Autopilot package, a Safety package, beautiful leather, a sunroof, and so on. Final score: just under 80,000 euros.

Step into the BMW and you enter a world of luxury: the seat and seating position are excellent, the interior is made of fine materials, while the iDrive controls and the new multimedia system with touchscreen in the wide Curved Display have excellent ergonomics. The head-up display is also a nice addition.

You sit slightly higher than in the 4-series Gran Coupé, in the back the i4 offers enough space for two to three adults. Thanks to the large tailgate, the luggage compartment is easily accessible. It fits 470 to 1290 liters in the back. At an additional cost, the i4 can be supplied with a towbar to tow a trailer with a maximum (braked) weight of 1600 kilos.

The choice of AutoWeek test coordinator Marco Gorter

Those who don’t often make really long distances can work well with an eDrive35, especially because the standard equipment does not differ significantly from the eDrive40. The standard equipment is reasonably spacious by BMW standards, although there is of course still a few things to check on the option list.