BMWi4 eDrive40

　　

2024 BMW i4 Review

byKurt NiebuhrSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　, rating written byKurt NiebuhrVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The 2024 BMW i4 is an all-electric luxury sedan and the most affordable EV in BMW's lineup. The i4 is essentially an electrified version of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, sharing that car's basic design both inside and out. The tech and driver aids carry over too, which is all generally a good thing. While some new EVs look and feel different from their manufacturer's internal combustion engine models, the i4 is simply another BMW, albeit one with an all-electric powertrain.

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BMW i4 EV Insights

Trim:i4 eDrive35

　　eDrive35 4dr Sedan (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $52,200 MSRPeDrive40 4dr Sedan (electric DD) - $57,300 MSRPxDrive40 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD) - $61,600 MSRPM50 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD) - $69,700 MSRP

　　

Range

　　276 miles

　　EPA Estimated Range

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 235 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　7 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　Complimentary Charging Offer

　　Restrictions: This program is a charging agreement between BMW of North America and Electrify America. Customers who purchase a new BMW i4 will receive 2 years of complimentary 30-minute charging on the Electrify America network. Participation requires the MyBMW app. Complimentary charging expires 2 years from vehicle purchase date. Offer is non-transferable. See your participating dealer for details.

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$60/mo

　　i4

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Car Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　

zzdcar spotlight: New xDrive40 version

Last year, the i4's lineup consisted of three versions: the 282-horsepower eDrive35, the 335-hp eDrive40 and the 469-hp M50. The first two have a single electric motor powering the rear wheels, while the M50 gets an extra motor for the front wheels, thereby giving the car all-wheel drive. Now there's another addition for 2024: the i4 xDrive40. It has dual motors, all-wheel drive and 396 hp. Interestingly, the additional motor and power has not hurt EPA-estimated range. It checks in at 307 miles on a full charge, which is even a bit better than the eDrive40's 301 miles.

　　

Competitors to consider

The i4 is priced higher to start than electric sedans such as the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3. But in return you're getting a classier cabin and, of course, a BMW badge. Keep reading to see what our experts have to say about the i4 to decide if it's the right EV for you.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.8

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the i4 drive? The BMW i4 is great to drive up to a point, but it's not the sport sedan we were hoping it might be. We tested the eDrive40 model. At our test track, it sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. That's on par for rear-wheel-drive EVs. You'll need to step up to the i4 M50 if you want a considerable boost in speed, but in general the car never struggles to keep up with traffic or merge onto the highway. The brakes are smooth and provide plenty of stopping power, and the car allows for one-pedal driving, which helps recharge the battery and reduce driving fatigue in traffic (not having to constantly switch between pedals).

　　While many of BMW's cars reward and excite when driven hard, the i4 isn't one of them. It's quick, sure, but handling leaves something to be desired. The steering is quick and light enough to make parking easy but lacks feedback. Body roll is mild as you go around turns, but the i4 can start to feel a little bouncy and unsettled when pushed hard. There's less traction from the tires than we expected, and while it's never scary or out of sorts, the i4 is more of a handful on tight roads than we expect from a BMW.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the i4? Ride comfort is one of the i4's strongest attributes. The car feels calm and composed on the road, be it city surface streets or the highway. The car doesn't completely tune out bumps or imperfections, but they're muted much more than in rivals like the Tesla Model 3. The seats, though nothing particularly standout, are reasonably comfortable and supportive. They don't offer much in the way of adjustment, though. The optional heated seats work well, but BMW doesn't offer ventilation. The rear seats are angled well and supportive, but they aren't particularly plush.

　　The i4's climate control system runs a bit warm, and the fans never seem to quiet down. That's not so bad in a gas-powered car, but the i4's quiet nature only amplifies any noise or harshness. There is very little wind noise, so a big plus there. Our sound meters measured noise inside the car a few decibels higher than in the Polestar 2 or Tesla Model 3.

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