The all-new 2022 BMW i4 will be sold in two trims, differing by $10k. The eDrive40 has a single electric motor that sends power to the rear wheels, while the M50 trim comes with an additional electric motor for the front wheels too. Apart from that, not much is known about the standard features, options, or packages that BMW will offer in the i4. Dealerships will be contacting people who have booked the i4 to know which packages and options are available, which should be around Fall 2021. 

We Recommend

The official statement or list for features isn’t out for the i4, and neither is the extensive spec sheet. This leaves us to speculate these details of the BMW i4, and judging by prices, the i4 isn’t the most luxurious offering in the segment, although it should provide excellent performance that can be used over and over again, unlike some Tesla models. Left to our imagination, we would definitely pick the M50 variant for its electric AWD, quicker 0 to 60, and sportier looks. 

 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. 

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. 

Efficiency is a problem for all EVs looking to enter into the depths of performance spaces. The years of research and development that have gone into the perfection of the combustion engine-powered car cannot be overturned in an instant, and the inherent limitations of EV technology when it comes to high temperatures and heavyweights are more than apparent. To maximize EV range while ensuring usable performance from their electric motors is a task of its own, and the 300-mile range in the eDrive40 suggests the Bavarian manufacturer has done so successfully. 

The Tesla Model S seems to come out on top in this aspect as well, but with reports of Tesla EV batteries degrading rapidly within three to four years work in favor of the well-engineered BMW i4. Another marker of its efficient drivetrain is the fact that an additional motor only eats into 60 miles of the total range, as the performance-focused M50 variant has a maximum range of 240 miles. With charging times of under 8 hours, the BMW i4 is a few steps ahead of the i3. The latter can charge at upto 50 kW, while the i4 is capable of charging at four times that power, rated at 200kW. 

Although the official statements and parts list have not been released, BMW has treated us to a picture of the EVs interior. The BMW i4 is unmistakably a Bimmer on the inside, highlighted by the M-Sport steering wheel, and a gear shifter that are so typical of the manufacturer. An upgrade to the infotainment comes in the form of curved displays that are now set into the dashboard rather than protruding from the top. Moreover, iDrive will also be there as the infotainment controlling knob hasn’t changed positions. It is nice to see a real gear shifter in the car, and it comes with blue accents to serve as a reminder of EV technology. Other than a few aesthetic tweaks here and there, the i4 looks like a stylish but normal BMW on the inside. 

The digital information cluster and curved infotainment display are indicators of how streamlined technology can be in an EV. Since the DSC now acts 10x faster than in combustion engine-powered models, it would be interesting to see what BMW does with its information and infotainment systems in the final production-spec 2022 i4. There are already whispers out as to how the i4 will come with selectable regenerative braking modes, that should allow the driver to choose between one-pedal driving and conventional brake-heavy driving. There are 

The BMW i4 is built on the 3-Series platform, which it also shares with the 4-Series. This suggests that the luxury EV will offer as much interior room as the compact luxury sedan it sells simultaneously. Nevertheless, this is merely speculation and we will not be able to confirm or deny whether the BMW i4 is indeed more spacious than a Tesla Model S. Due to the cramped interiors in the Porsche Taycan, we can place a safe bet that the BMW i4 will be more practical, to say the least. Interior features that stand in the 2022 BMW i4:

• Digital display for information cluster
• Curved infotainment screen
• Blue-accented M gear shifter
• M-Sport steering wheel

Infotainment and Connectivity features in the 2022 BMW i4

The images of the i4’s interior suggest a worthy upgrade to the infotainment, at least the hardware available. Due to the familiar knob next to the gear selector, we are pretty sure BMW will offer an upgraded version of iDrive, a system perfectly designed for comfortable use on the go. The upgraded screens on the dash and behind the steering wheel are both seem capable of navigation. 

The images shared by BMW on their website suggest simultaneous navigation capabilities on the driver’s display and infotainment screen, although we wouldn’t be able to put a finger on why. That being said, the interior of the i4 looks very high-tech thanks to its infotainment hardware, and might just be the best BMW has to offer to date. Features of the infotainment include:

• Curved infotainment display - 14.9”
• High resolution 12.3” drivers display 
• Multipurpose and multitasking capable touchscreen
• BMW iDrive 8

The i4 electric sedan dons the avatar of the new 4-Series that was first introduced to us in the form of the M4. The oversized kidney grille got a lot of flak upon release, but I must shamelessly admit that the design has kinda grown on some of us, adding another degree of aggression to the front fascia.

The sedan sports a stylish side profile due to its coupe-like sloping roofline, and the long-wheelbase only compliments the design further. Limited creasing and some brash but sophisticated styling make the i4 look rather futuristic, despite looking like a 3-Series from the back as well. Lastly, the eDrive40 gets techy-looking wheels that look slightly tacky in our opinion, and the M50 gets M-Sport wheels which suit the exterior of the i4 considerably more. 

While these vehicles fall into the same category due to their EV powertrains, they could not be more unmatched. The BMW i4 shares the same dimensions as its compact luxury sedan sibling, while the Tesla Model S has a wheelbase and total length enough to give some full-size sedans solid competition at taking up space in a parking lot. Lastly, the Porsche Taycan is sports car material, with fairly large dimensions but lower interior room than its rivals. Some defining exterior characteristics of the 2022 BMW i4:

• Specially designed alloys for the eDrive40 trim
• M50 trim gets M wheels
• Gran-coupe body style
• Rear-lip spoiler 
• Oversized grille
• Non-functional air intakes 

No information regarding the structure or safety features of the i4 has been provided by BMW. The CLAR platform upon which it is designed is optimized to be able to include electric motors and therefore has some typical car parts moved around. We will have to wait for the NHTSA and IIHS to get their hands on this vehicle for testing to really know how safe the car is. However, seeing as this BMW is purely electric, we are more than certain it will get its fair share of driver assistance programs due to the opportunity to seamlessly integrate the assistance programs into the 2022 i4. 

The automobile industry is facing a paradigm shift in the EV world, as most manufacturers are already announcing plans to forgo their internal combustion engine plans by 2050. While there cannot be much truth to such statements, the I.C.E facing obsolescence is in fact a very real possibility. If you are looking to get into the EV segment as soon as possible, you could consider the i4 as BMW has made use of their years of experience building exciting vehicles to offer an all-electric sedan capable of some thrills.