Technically nothing. While the platform is suited to a front-engine layout, the eDrive40 variant has just one electric motor at the back, sending power to the rear wheels. The more powerful M50 has an additional electric motor that powers the front wheels as well. These electric motor setups produce 335 and 536 horsepower respectively. Since maximum torque is available from the get-go in EVs, the 0 to 60 timings are super quick.
The road-focused variant - eDrive40 - is capable of sprinting to 60 miles an hour from a standstill in 5.7 seconds. The M50 variant gets a quicker powertrain, courtesy of another electric motor, which reduces its 0 to 60 time to a mere 3.7 seconds, although it also comes at the cost of the maximum range, which falls from 300 miles in the eDrive40 to 240 miles in the M50. While these figures aren’t all that great compared to the Tesla Model S, the inherent limitations of EV technology lie inconsistent usage and subsequent heating issues. BMW will have taken care of this the same way Porsche did when they rolled out the Taycan, a track-ready EV.
Models
|
2022 BMW i4 eDrive40
|
2021 Tesla Model S
|
2021 Porsche Taycan 4S
|
Base MSRP
|
$20,000 - $21,000
|
$78,490
|
$103,800
|
Engine
|
Electric Motor
|
Electric Motor
|
Electric Motor
|
Transmission
|
1-Direct speed
|
1-Direct speed
|
2-speed automated manual
|
Horsepower
|
335 hp
|
670 hp
|
482 hp
|
Torque
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
479 lb-ft
|
0-60 (Sec)
|
5.7
|
3.1
|
3.9
|
Quarter Mile (Sec)
|
N/A
|
10.7
|
N/A
|
The figures posted by the 2022 BMW i4 pale in comparison to those of the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan, although one look at the prices and you immediately know which vehicle offers the most value. Judging by the exorbitant pricing of the Taycan, it is out of reach for most buyers looking to get into the EV segment. While the i4 isn’t cheap either, it stands at a much more affordable rate and manages to beat the Taycan 4S from 0 to 60 in its M50 guise. BMW has done an excellent job with the pricing of the i4, as it would lure gas-powered luxury sedan buyers almost immediately.
How does the 2022 BMW i4 handle?
Weight reduction, low center of gravity, and distribution of weight are three areas in which BW designers and engineers excel, and can be described as the three driving forces behind the exhilaration you get at the wheel of a BMW. Following those ideas, the i4 has a 48:52w weight distribution, and a center of gravity up to 2.1 inches lower than the current outgoing 3-Series sedan.
The electric sedan exhibits sports car levels of grip and traction in the corners, while its weight distribution ensures fluid exits too. To increase straight-line grip, BMW has used near actuator-wheel slip limitation, a form on an electronic limited-slip-differential. As the car is fully electric, the standard Dynamic Stability Control also works up to 10 times faster than gas-powered models, ensuring optimum levels of grip at all times.