Should an electric car stand out?
Vast debate.
BMW does not seem to have a religion in the matter since, alongside the i3 and iX, pure electric creations, its first electric sedan derives from the new generation of the 4 Series Gran Coupé.
A model also available with 48-volt light hybrid gasoline and diesel engines (excluding 420i).
Sharing the platform makes it possible to lower development costs and to offer an electric sedan of nearly 4.80 m at less than 60,000 euros, in its eDrive 40 definition.
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What responsibility at the wheel of an “autonomous car”?
Adrien Cortesi
From the 4 Series Gran Coupé, the i4 preserves the essentials, namely the long hood, the roof slipping like a coupe and the tailgate for easy loading.
These dynamic forms are accompanied by a closed grille, the absence of exhaust and a ground clearance barely raised to accommodate the very flat battery in the floor (barely 110 mm high) and a capacity of 83.9 kWh (80.7 useful).
It powers a 340 hp synchronous wound rotor motor placed on the rear axle.
A technology which avoids the use of rare earths and which allows a yield of 93%.
Agility and sound insulation
Adrien Cortesi
Faced with the M50 version of 544 hp four-wheel drive, the i4 eDrive 40 displays a better performance / range ratio. Without managing to reproduce the official values (493 to 590 km), which corresponds to a standardized consumption of 16.1 kWh / 100 km, the i4 can bulge the torso with an excellent 22.4 kWh / 100 km on the motorway, lowered below 18 kWh on the road. As on a car with a combustion engine, reproducing the values approved by the manufacturer seems out of the reach of most drivers, except when driving mainly in town. For our part, in the best case, the on-board computer indicated a range of 440 km. Which is already a performance!
On a fast charging station, the battery has recovered 80% of its charge in 28 minutes thanks to its system accepting up to 205 kW of direct current power.
To facilitate the learning of electric, BMW offers, like most of its competitors, the first year of subscription to the networks.
The charging minute is billed at € 0.30.
Adrien Cortesi
Side sensations, if some will regret the disappearance of the sound of the legendary six-cylinder in line, replaced by a very artificial noise in Sport mode, and the transition to a less ergonomic digital tablet for the dashboard, the i4 retains the standards of quality and agility that make the salt of BMWs and first-rate sound insulation.
Finally, this can reassure motorists when it comes to converting to electric: BMW can take advantage of a particularly developed physical network throughout the country.
Not all manufacturers can say the same.
Adrien Cortesi
Technical sheet
Engine: electric, 340 hp, 430 Nm
Transmission: Propulsion, auto.
1 report
Dimensions: L. 4.78, l.
1.85, h.
1.44 m
Consumption: 16.1 kWh / 100 km
Range: 590 km
Speed: 190 km / h
Price: 59,700 €
