SUMMARY
BMW is certainly no amateur when it comes to electric cars. The BMW i3, the company’s first attempt at a fully electrified car, was definitely good but enthusiasts know that it wasn’t the best that they could come out with. Now, with Tesla leading the electric car market with their Model 3, BMW is coming out with the 2022 model of the i4 sedan. This new generation of sedan aims to broaden the company’s electrified car offerings, and compete with its contemporaries. All this while delivering the same performance and quality we’ve come to expect from BMW.
LATEST
The 2022 BMW i4 is the company’s all-new sedan that boasts an all-electric Powertrain and is set to hit showrooms by early to mid-2022. While BMW themselves have released the starting prices of the two models, we’ve still yet to hear about the full list of features that they will have in store. It combines the traditional traits we’ve come to know with BMW’s selection, but also mix elements of EV cars today that create a luxurious driving experience.
ESTIMATED VALUE
BMW will offer the i4 eDrive40 at $56,395* in the US, with the upgraded M50 starting off with an asking price of $65,900*.
MACHINE PERFORMANCE
The new BMW i4 will come in two motor configurations: Single and Dual. They both come with a 83.9 kilowatt-hour battery which is packed between the axles, with 81.5 kWh being usable. The eDrive40 produces 335 horsepower and measures up to 317 pound-feet of torque. The sportier of the two models, the M50, sports another motor on each axle to produce an exhilarating 536 horsepower and 586 pound-feet of torque from the same battery pack.
Of course, the increased performance of the M50 with its boost mode on will take a toll on the range. The entry eDrive40 boasts a driving range going up to 300 miles, with the all-wheel i4 offering 245 miles in exchange for the increased power. Another exciting part of the BMW i4’s performance is its overall decrease in acceleration times. Allegedly, it’s already rocking speeds that bring it from zero to 60 mph in only 3.7 seconds.
BATTERY LIFE
In terms of charging, the BMW i4 borrows from the iX with its charging speeds going up to 200 kWh. This allows the battery to go from 10% charge all the way to 80% in about 31 minutes. On a Level 2 Home EV Charger kit, the i4 draws power at 11kWh, taking slightly past 8 hours to fully charge the batteries from an empty state.
FUEL EFFICIENT & ACTUAL MPG
Fuel Economy for the BMW i4 is currently just rumors and estimation, as we’re waiting on BMW to release more information on the new car. However, we do know that these estimations rate the fuel economy on Highways and Cities being at 85 MPG. Another thing we do know is that the range of the rear-wheel eDrive40 is around 300 miles. The i4 M50 offers 245 miles, with the additional motors on the axles contributing to more power and performance but less overall range.
INTERIOR, SOLACE & BAGGAGE
The i4’s cabin is luxurious, with options including a rose gold or light wood trim. The car also comes with white leather upholstery that accentuates it well and gives it a sleek aesthetic. It certainly does stick close to the looks of its gas-powered sibling, the iX.
The layout is similar to other BMW models, but it stays unique with its massive display that spans nearly two-thirds of the car’s dashboard. Along with some blue accents here and there, it does little to set itself apart from the interior of the 4 series.
This 4-door sedan has a typical trunk at the back, with a rear roofline that does its best to imitate the profile of coupe-style cars. The sport seats on the M50 is a great addition, along with the blue seatbelts, to help sell it as the higher-end model of the two. The back seat is a bit cramped for taller riders, measuring only 36.6 inches of headroom. Legroom isn’t all that impressive at 34.2 inches. Another thing that EV enthusiasts might notice is that the i4 doesn’t have a trunk at the front.
TECHNOLOGY
The i4 has mounted the latest in the company’s infotainment systems: The iDrive8, operating by a 14.9-inch touchscreen on the dashboard. It comes integrated with 12.3-inch digital instrument panel that is situated on a curved display on the dashboard, as well as a rotary controller mounted on the center console.
The system itself offers advanced features such as voice commands and other popular additions such as Android Auto, Apple’s Carplay, and the ability to have a Wi-fi hotspot as well.
SAFETY
The i4 is once again similar to the 4 series and other BMW products here as it offers the exact same advanced safety suite. This setup is still a solid offering, being great at long distance driving and featuring adaptive cruise control systems, lane-centering, and other great features. All of these elements work well together up to now, but it is possible that this may be one of the last as the company plans to phase this system out soon. The next iteration of this system is expected to be the setup found on the iX, which makes use of radar and advanced camera systems as well.
WARRANTY
BMW is quite generous with its warranty and has one of the best offers for the complimentary maintenance periods available. The offer comes with limited warranty that spans either 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. BMW also offers a powertrain warranty that spans for eight years or 100,000 miles. Lastly, complimentary maintenance for your BMW i4 is covered for a span of three years or 36,000 miles. It is quite the extensive package and we’re hoping that BMW continues with its warranty plans with its future releases.