+ Premium
With a variety of just about 600 kilometres and low power consumption, BMW’s i4 eDrive40 is an effective electrical automotive. However does the idea of the electrical 4 Sequence Gran Coupé nonetheless work if the scale of the battery is diminished? And is it even price it?
***
One factor proper up entrance: a catchy mannequin identify just isn’t one of many strengths of BMW’s present electrical technology. BMW i4 eDrive35 Gran Coupé – that’s the official identify of the mannequin BMW despatched us to check drive. BMW is a given, and so is i4. “eDrive” stands for the electrical rear-wheel drive (in distinction to the combustion engine rear-wheel drive “sDrive” and the all-wheel drive “xDrive”), the “35” is meant to someway hyperlink the mannequin to BMW’s efficiency classification (the reference to displacement was scrapped a very long time in the past for combustion engines, too). Lastly, the “Gran Coupé” describes the physique model – one thing the carmaker apparently didn’t need to miss, although the i4 just isn’t presently obtainable in another physique variant. Since that was advanced sufficient, we’ll use ’35’ moderately than the complete mannequin designation on this textual content.
The i4’s mannequin coverage is clearly strongly geared in direction of gross sales. On the premiere, BMW confirmed the mannequin with the longest vary, the i4 eDrive40, or 40 for brief; A mid-range BMW with rear-wheel drive. And to fulfill the efficiency camp, a sporty prime mannequin i4 M50 with 400 kW all-wheel drive was additionally offered. On the automotive’s presentation in autumn 2021, the carmaker stated it could spare no expense or effort to realize a internet power content material of greater than 80 kilowatt-hours. In spite of everything, vary is a crucial subject for patrons. The result’s 83.9 kWh gross, of which 80.7 kWh are usable. Mission completed.
However one other clientele will need to be served ultimately – these with a set higher funds restrict, comparable to these entitled to an organization automotive. We don’t essentially need to discuss money-conscious clients as a result of the worth nonetheless begins at 56,500 euros. For this base value, the 35 comes with 70.2 kWh gross or 67 kWh.
210 as an alternative of 250 kW – Appears like extra distinction than it’s
With a base value of 56,500 euros, BMW will promote just a few 35s under a gross record value of 60,000 euros. The worth, which is vital for firm automotive taxation, will subsequently hardly play a task within the resolution to purchase the brand new base mannequin as an alternative of the 40 with the longer vary.
The electrical drive, positioned beneath the boot flooring, is similar design in each i4 variants (truly, in all three, because the rear-wheel drive mannequin additionally makes use of this unit). For the fifth technology of electrical drives, BMW depends on current-excited synchronous motors that don’t require everlasting magnets or uncommon earths. And as sensible expertise with varied collection reveals, from the iX3 to the massive iX and the brand new iX1, these drive techniques are highly effective and extremely economical.
Nevertheless, for the 35, the utmost energy is “solely” 210 kW, whereas the 40 has as much as 250 kW. The distinction lies not within the drive however within the battery. The 35’s battery has 353 volts, whereas the 40’s bigger battery has 399 volts – so with the identical amperage, the bigger battery presents extra energy, no matter whether or not the engine is able to extra. BMW makes use of the identical cells in each batteries and installs fewer of them – usually, the smaller batteries additionally use totally different cell chemistry.
After driving each automobiles, we will say with certainty that you simply received’t really feel the distinction in on a regular basis driving, as we hardly ever want 200 kW or extra. Even on the motorway, we didn’t miss the 40 kW distinction, and undoubtedly not within the metropolis. Even with rather less energy, the 35’s drive is well-tuned and responds finely to the pedal’s instructions, whether or not accelerating or recuperating.
Consumption is sort of equivalent
And the consumption can be virtually the identical: on the finish of the take a look at, the onboard laptop confirmed 16.2 kWh/100km, however on particular person journeys, it was additionally lower than 15 kWh/100km. The consumption is barely under the 40’s 16.8 kWh/100km, which isn’t essentially as a result of decrease energy or the smaller (and considerably lighter) battery. We drove the automotive practically a 12 months in the past. Checks befell beneath totally different circumstances and with barely totally different tools (e.g. rims), so a direct comparability to the decimal place just isn’t permissible. However the order of magnitude matches.
In fact, the vary is totally different: virtually 14 kWh distinction in internet power content material means a variety of practically 100 kilometres. So in that respect, the 35 falls in need of its large brother. Nevertheless, with our common consumption, the 35 nonetheless has a variety of 413 kilometres.
On the motorway, with relevant velocity limits, consumption hardly ever rose above 19 kWh/100km. That also means a motorway vary of 352 kilometres. After we drove the 40 in 2022, we calculated a variety of 436 kilometres, a distinction of 84 kilometres. And even when we solely take into account the vary of ten to 80 per cent State of Cost (SoC), which is related for long-distance driving, the 35 nonetheless has an actual vary of 250 kilometres on one cost. For the 40, it’s most likely between 300 and 350 kilometres.
On the charging station, the variations are once more smaller than on paper would counsel. With the smaller battery, the utmost DC charging energy drops considerably, from 205 to as much as 180 kW. Nevertheless, because it requires much less power, the 35 solely wants one minute longer to cost from ten to 80 per cent than the 40.
Our charging curves present why that’s. The charging curve for the 35 (in gentle blue) is similar to the 40 (in darkish blue) however all the time a couple of kW decrease. It’s thus not the case that solely the height is barely decrease as a result of totally different battery voltage and that each battery variants subsequently cost on the identical curve. For the reason that 35 by no means comes near the facility curve of the 40 and already drops under the 100 kW mark at 45 per cent SoC, it will get tough from 60 per cent SoC.
Nevertheless, the comparability in our chart to the 2 Tesla fashions additionally reveals that some competitor fashions are on the similar stage – that is merely the efficiency stage of the 400-volt fashions. Nevertheless, in on a regular basis use, a charging curve just like the Mercedes EQE 350+ can be extra fascinating – rather less at peak, however the EQE nonetheless costs with 147 kW when the i4 has already dropped under the 100 mark. Between 40 and 80 per cent SoC, the distinction is placing, even in comparison with the i4 eDrive40 – and its drive varieties the idea for the i5, i.e. a direct competitor to the EQE. Nevertheless, not one of the German fashions come near Hyundai’s 800-volt electrical automobiles – the Ioniq 5 is proven within the diagram, however the charging curve corresponds to the Ioniq 6 sedan mannequin.
Quick charging: The i4 eDrive40 takes the lead
Concerning quick charging, the i4 eDrive35 is considerably behind – not solely in comparison with the 40, but in addition to the competitors. That is notably noticeable when the cost stage reaches 50 to 60 per cent, after which it takes considerably longer for the cost stage indicator within the cockpit to maneuver additional to the appropriate. In case you often journey longer distances and need to full them with as few charging stops as potential, go for the massive battery. With the 35, many however shorter charging stops can be extra applicable to reap the benefits of the window with the upper charging energy. A fast charging cease each 150 kilometres might be totally different from what BMW’s premium clients count on – even in a primary mannequin.
Nevertheless, if the each day driving distance is lower than 200 kilometres and you’ll cost your i4 at residence or work with AC, the variations between the 35 and 40 are shockingly small. Nevertheless, the worth distinction of two,700 euros can be manageable. So until there’s a fastened funds restrict and you’d moderately have one other tools package deal than a sensible vary of 84 kilometres, many purchasers will most likely go for the iDrive40.
Other than the slight value distinction, there’s one other level of criticism the place the 35 and 40 differ too little: the inside, particularly the footwell in entrance of the rear seat. Do you keep in mind the assertion that BMW spared no expense or effort to combine an 80 kWh battery into the platform of the i4? The end result was that, along with the battery modules organized flat within the underbody, BMW added additional modules on the “second flooring”, specifically beneath the rear seat bench and within the cardan tunnel of the combustion fashions. BMW eliminated exactly these three modules with twelve cells every from the cardan tunnel for the battery within the 35 Sequence. Solely: the cardan tunnel continues to be there, even whether it is now empty and with out operate. Sure, for purists, there isn’t a BMW and not using a cardan tunnel anyway. Nevertheless, pragmatists discover it laborious to grasp why BMW didn’t give the i4 eDrive35 its personal inside flooring panelling. Presumably, eradicating the cardan tunnel development from the platform is more difficult than anticipated. Nevertheless, at this level, BMW can not iron out the drawback of the combustion engine physique: the house circumstances.
The workmanship is of top quality all through. The working system relies on the traditional automotive working logic and isn’t just a pill that occurs to be put in in a automotive. The help techniques made a superb impression, and the Car2X communication works. The BMW even identified site visitors lights at a short lived development website on a rustic street a number of hundred metres forward of the car. And the chassis is among the many greatest in its class, and the noise consolation within the inside can be price mentioning – no Tesla or Hyundai presently comes shut.
BMW can be bettering small software program particulars. In our 2022 take a look at of the i4 eDrive40, we criticised that the DC charging energy was solely proven within the instrument show in a barely legible bar graph. The graphic stays, however the show has been supplemented with a precise kilowatt indication. This at the least provides the driving force a greater thought of whether or not a cease on the fast-charger continues to be worthwhile – with the bar graph, it was troublesome to inform whether or not 100 or solely 80 kW have been nonetheless flowing, for instance.
The combustion engine origin will be felt on the inside
However the i4 can be an inside combustion engine at its core. The entrance bonnet is lengthy (for the straight-six), however even the rear-wheel-drive fashions don’t have a frunk. The inside just isn’t cramped, however tight – and never solely with the cardan tunnel within the footwell. Simply accessible storage compartments are additionally comparatively scarce. Though the boot is definitely accessible because of the hatchback’s wide-opening tailgate, it’s not possible, for instance, to suit three crates of drinks subsequent to one another within the boot. Within the case of the Nio ET5, though it solely has a smaller opening, it may stow three crates of mineral water aspect by aspect – and one other six-pack subsequent to it. In different phrases: a car on a pure EV platform will get extra out of this measurement class of roughly 4.80 metres and presents a extra spacious feeling than the i4.
And (in fact) the surcharge record is a recurring level of criticism for a German premium producer. Our take a look at automotive got here with extras for greater than 13,000 euros, which brings the gross record value from 56,500 to 70,880 euros. And we’re not speaking about full tools: the take a look at automotive stood on 17-inch Aero rims for simply 400 euros additional. Even the heated entrance seats value 380 euros, and the inductive charging cradle for smartphones (in entrance of the cupholder and subsequently troublesome to entry) prices a further 200 euros. Ambient lighting prices 370 euros, and the “consolation entry”, which permits the automotive key to stay within the pocket, prices 650 euros additional.
Conclusion
The “sacrifice” within the primary mannequin of the i4 is unlikely to be of a lot consequence to many purchasers. Nevertheless, for the reason that value distinction is barely above the extent of the help package deal, many purchasers will most likely nonetheless go for the massive battery.
A minimum of BMW is stopping the pattern in direction of ever bigger batteries – albeit inevitably, as a result of it can not match extra of the present technology of cells into the underbody of the CLAR platform. As a result of environment friendly drive, attaining aggressive ranges on this car class is feasible even with 67 kWh. Whether or not BMW may make the client perceive in advertising that “extra” just isn’t essentially higher is one other matter – beginning with the worth record.
Writer: Sebastian Schaal; translated from German