© Dimitri Charitsis
The BMW i4 is one of this year’s excellent electric surprises. A sedan that can stand up to Tesla without flinching. Except on the price. This is the reason why the German manufacturer is preparing a more accessible version.
With an entry ticket just under the bar of 60,000 euros (59,950 euros exactly), the BMW i4 remains much more expensive than the Model 3 to which it is regularly opposed. In order to eliminate this embarrassing difference, the German manufacturer has found a solution: to offer a more accessible version of its sedan, specially cut to take market share from Tesla. Thus, BMW has announced the arrival of an eDrive35 version for the beginning of 2023. The price of this should be around that of the Model 3 (53,490 euros currently). To achieve this result, BMW had to make concessions, both on engine power and on autonomy. What’s left of the i4 we tested earlier this year? Is it enough to tackle the Model 3?
The eDrive35 version (which is placed under the eDrive40) will have a slightly less powerful motor. The 210 kW block develops 285 hp all the same and a torque of 400 Nm. This is obviously less than the 340 hp of the 40 version, but the honor is safe in terms of performance since the 0 to 100 km / h takes no more than 6 seconds. Above all, the i4 retains the chassis qualities that appealed to the vast majority of testers who were able to get on board.
The right compromise to shake up Tesla?
On the other hand, the blow will be more difficult to take on the battery side. Forget the 80.7 kWh battery, you will have to settle for a 66 kWh accumulator. What changes? A drop in range of 100 km with a maximum capacity of 490 km (WLTP cycle), or a little less in real conditions. Another consequence of the battery change: the direct current charging power decreases (180 kW against 205 kW previously). This is still an acceptable small step back in that the battery can still be charged from 10-80% in 32 minutes.
BMW’s strategy is interesting to say the least. The Munich brand takes the following bet: If a buyer hesitates between the Model 3 and his i4 and he is not within 6,000 euros, he will choose the German. If, on the other hand, he is unable to go beyond this budget, he can fall back on a slightly less well-endowed i4, but a BMW all the same. Either way, Tesla would be the loser. After years of watching the California automaker’s success with electrics, that’s all BMW dreams of.