BMW is among the pioneers in the electric car space. After introducing the BMW i3, BMW has gone on to produce other exceptional fully electric cars like the BMW i4. Like its ICE siblings, the BMW i4 performs outstandingly, it’s comfortable, sleek, and coms with excellent handling. But is the BMW i4 a good car?
Yes, the BMW i4 is a good car. Nonetheless, it also has some shortcomings that some interested buyers won’t be interested in. While the BMW i4 produces zero emissions, it’s reliable and comes with high-end technology, its initial cost is high and the headroom in the back is poor, because of the sloping roofline.
All in all, the i4 is one of the finest fully electric compact cars on the market. Some of its closest competitors are Tesla Model 3, Mercedes-Benz EQE, Polestar 2, and Volvo S60 Hybrid.
History of the BMW i4
The BMW i4 has been in production from 2021 to date. It is a battery-electric compact executive car with a five-door liftback body style. Even though it is a sedan, BMW markets it as a four-door coupe. On top of that, it comes with three layouts, including the rear-motor, rear-wheel drive (eDrive), and all-wheel-drive (xDrive).
Note that the BMW i4 is part of BMW’s i sub-brand model. Besides, it’s the fifth-generation i sub-brand model. Other cars in this sub-brand are the BMW i3, ix, and i8. On top of that, the BMW i4 is sold in two trim options, which are the eDrive40 and the M50.
Features of the BMW i4
Appearance
The BMW i4 looks as elegant and outstanding as the BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe. If you’re not keen, you may fail to differentiate the electric from the ICE car. Unlike its gas-powered sibling, the i4 comes with a liftback trunk design. Additionally, it has blue accents on several parts, such as around the grille, rocker panels, and the rear bumper.
On top of that, 18-inch alloy wheels come standard, but BMW also offers 19-inch wheels. When it comes to the interior, it shares the same features with its gas counterpart. The only difference is the blue accents. Hence, you should expect a comfortable, luxurious, and spacious interior with advanced technology.
Performance
Apart from providing comfort and luxury, the BMW i4 also performs at a high level. It has two trims that allow users to decide how much power they want. The BMW i4 eDrive40 comes with a single motor on the axle that delivers a maximum of 335 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque.
But if you opt for the more powerful M50, which is fitted with an electric motor on both axles, you will get a total of 536 hp and 586 lb-ft of torque. Besides, the eDrive40 has a rear-wheel-drive system, while the M50 has an all-wheel-drive system.
Comfort and cargo space
One of the greatest advantages of owning the BMW i4 is that it comes with an easy-to-access trunk. Thanks to the large trunk door. Furthermore, its cabin is spacious and will accommodate up to five people comfortably. Some of the interior features that make it stand out are white leather upholstery, rose gold trim, and light wood trim.
Range
The BMW i4 has an excellent range as it’s better than the Polestar, but still lags the Tesla Model 3. The single-motor eDrive40 trim can cover up to 300 miles on a full battery, while the dual-motor M50 trim can cover up to 245 miles.
Note that both use an 80.7 kWh battery. On top of that, they have a 200-kilowatt charging capacity, which is quite fast.
Price
Despite having several amazing features, the BMW i4 is slightly more expensive than most of its competitors. It is even costlier than the Tesla Model 3, which performs better and faster than the i4. The base price of the BMW i4 is about $55,400.
FAQ
How long does the BMW i4 last?
This is quite a challenging question as the BMW i4 has only been on the market for a year. Nonetheless, BMW says that its electric cars should last for at least 15 years. This is a long period, but it’s still not yet better than that of Tesla. Besides, BMW is also working on durable batteries, which may make their electric cars last longer.
How fast is the BMW i4?
Before the BMW i4 was introduced in the market, the BMW i3 was the fastest BMW electric car. But with the introduction of the BMW i4, it is now the fastest BMW electric car. The BMW i4 M50 can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 3.3 seconds and it has a top speed of about 139.8 mph.
Thus, if you want a faster electric car, consider getting the BMW i4 M50 as it’s 0.2 seconds quicker than the BMW M3.
What is the common problem with the BMW i4?
Since the BMW i4 is still new on the market, most users have not reported many issues. However, there are a few things that the interested buyers should be ready to deal with. Some of them are lack of battery crash pads, overly complex infotainment systems, and a lack of charging infrastructure.
The BMW i4 premium package is a package offered by BMW for the i4 users. This package costs around an additional $950 and it features heated seats and a steering wheel together with variable ambient lighting and some additional luxury features.
Is the BMW i4 an SUV?
No, the BMW i4 is a gran coupe or sedan. It has four doors just like most sedans but with a sloping roof. So, instead of referring to it as a sedan, most people refer to it as a gran coupe because of its sporty and sleek look. Besides, the raked roofline makes it look more appealing than a standard sedan.
Summary
If you’re looking for a reliable, high-performance, comfortable, safe, and luxurious fully electric midsize sedan, the BMW i4 is a good car to consider. Nonetheless, the car also comes with a few shortcomings, which include a lack of battery crash pads, a lack of charging stations, and an overly complex infotainment system.
Unlike the BMW i3, the i4 comes with a better range, but it’s still not better than the Tesla Model 3. However, it is more comfortable than the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2, which are their closest competitors. Overall, the BMW i4 is the best fully electric BMW model on the market.