Except for the blue body trim and badges, casual observers won’t have a clue that the BMW i4 eDrive35 is an electric vehicle. Not a hybrid, this four-door coupe-like sedan is fully electric, and it’s got the essence of the prototypical Bimmer built for luxurious touring. That means it looks all business.
Not much frills, just the deluxe essentials. BMW developed the 210 kW electric drivetrain, the on-board 180kW charging system, and the battery technology in-house. Proudly displayed and called eDrive, it bears the company’s design language. The sealed batteries in four modules are strategically bolted to the chassis, adding structural rigidity and balancing the weight packaging. Everything is in its fundamental place and function.
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Styling
This generation’s kidney grille/buck teeth are growing on me. The auto leveling LED headlights are understated but functionally advanced. The 19-inch wheels are shaped for aerodynamic efficiency, no doubt adding a few kilometers in range, especially with a flat underbelly. Cooling ducts and air spoiler on the bumpers and fenders with the rear diffuser altogether add a few more kilometers. The frameless doors are bordered by exquisitely shaped, satin-finish metal. With the exception of that, it’s pretty much unadorned. Overall, it’s not a bad-looking grand coupe silhouette. It’s a purposeful, classy exterior.
Interior
Inside the quiet cabin, the elegant and modern appointments are impressive. Standard power-adjustable seats make it impossible not to find a comfortable driving position, especially with extended thigh support. The Sensatec perforated upholstery looks and feels like leather.
With an almost flat floor, there’s plenty of legroom for all five seats as well as cup holders for everyone. The 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 14.9-inch infotainment screen are huge but not imposing. The elongated center touchscreen may be a reach for the driver but the iDrive8.5 control wheel on the console makes any adjustment much easier.
Even easier, as there are voice commands available. Still based on a Linux platform, the interface resembles a laptop more than a smartphone. The menus are not that deep—no menu diving for a feature or mode selection. Smartphone Bluetooth connection is automatic after pairing, but wireless phone charging is only efficient without a phone case.
There’s no need to fiddle with wires as audio quality with Bluetooth is almost the same as with a wired connection: mediocre. What’s remarkable, however, is that the silence afforded by the electric drivetrain lets you hear music better without much background noise.
And as expected of a touring car, there’s plenty of trunk space under the powered liftgate, with room for the biggest luggage you can carry.
Engine performance
The electric motor’s torque is better appreciated with the transmission set to B, as one-pedal driving can be unnerving at first. As it slows down to regenerate more energy back into the batteries you need to slowly release the accelerator, as if executing an assertive engine brake. If that’s too much involvement, there’s an option for two other less aggressive modes.
To make it drive like a normal automatic transmission, toggle the transmission lever to D. It’s got an impressive MPGe of 120 (51km/L), and a claimed range of 430km. That’s with the 70kWh battery running at an average 17-18kWh/100km. Charging with a maximum of 11kW on a Level 2 charger at home takes it to 100% charge in about 8 hours. With fast DC2 charging available at RSA Motors Greenhills, the remaining 50% charge was topped up to 94% in less than 30 minutes!
Ride and handling
The BMW i4 eDrive35 has a supple and comfortable ride. It can get you around a corner in a hurry, but that’s not how it rolls. It’s more suited for unhurried trips, without electric range anxiety.
Steering feel is not as bad as some electric systems. Actually, the steering wheel’s weight adapts well depending on the driving mode. It handles like a proper rear-wheel drive car.
Extra features
Proximity and parking cameras and sensors as well as Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) are standard. All the safety features are on the entry-level i4: adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, dual-staged driver and passenger airbags, collision-warning assist, and driver alertness monitoring.
There’s a keyless ignition start system, USB-A and USB-C ports, and a 12-volt ‘cigarette lighter’ socket! Electric cars run silent, so BMW has IconicSounds, a set of Hans Zimmer ambient electronic soundtracks. Just when you think it’s all serious, there’s a bit of juvenile fun to be had as it churns out audible and tactile buzz as you accelerate hard or when it's regenerating the batteries. In economy mode, it’s like being in a well-insulated internal combustion-engined cabin. For sport mode, it’s more engaging. You know it’s simulated and not coming from the DC motors, but it’s somehow soothing, as opposed to the ghostly bizarre silence of an EV.
Not on run-flat tires, and no spare tire to weigh it down, it has an emergency tire repair kit as standard. The perimeter approach lights, meanwhile, are useful when parked in a dark spot.
Verdict
BMW is poised to make more electric vehicles in the future and the i4 is their convincing offer for the manager or professional who’s on the fence about having an EV in his garage. Sure, there are more powerful or cheaper EVs available now, but they don’t have the driving dynamics, the suite of tasteful features, or more important, the roundel badge that conveys the driver’s status. Consider this, too: the battery comes with an eight-year warranty and the vehicle with a four-year comprehensive warranty, while service is free for six years. Not bad at all.
SPECS: 2024 BMW i4 eDrive35
Price: P4,495,000
Engine: Three-phase excited synchronous
Power: 282hp
Torque: 400Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Layout: Rear-wheel-drive
Seating: 5
Score: 8.5/10
More photos of the BMW i4 eDrive35 2024:
