Keen driving, even keener pricing, and blessed with long range: BMW’s first electric sedan, the i4, charges to a strong position in Singapore

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Additional reporting by Leow Ju-Len

SINGAPORE – We had high expectations of the BMW i4 simply because it’s an electric, sedan-shaped BMW, and it delivers by not just being extra fun to drive, but also very efficient, and competent the way other BMW electric vehicles (EVs) have been. 

To recap, the number of EV sedans on sale here can be counted on one hand: Audi e-tron GT, Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2, Porsche Taycan and now, the BMW i4.

In simple terms, the i4 is the electric version of the 4 Series Gran Coupe, just as the iX3 is the electric version of the X3 sport utility vehicle (SUV). The 4GC launched in Singapore late last year – read our news story on that model for more. 

The i4’s official launch date for Singapore: March 25, 2022. The i4 eDrive40 rolled into Performance Motors’ showroom with a price of S$311,888 inclusive of Certificate Of Entitlement (COE). Read our launch story for more details too.

For those who really care about driving, only the i4 and Tesla Model 3, and the Porsche Taycan have rear-wheel drive versions, but the Taycan is obviously a step above in both size and price terms, and the Tesla is fast and handles well, but it’s still not a driver’s car.

That leaves the i4 as arguably the most driver-focused car in the electric executive sedan segment, at least by BMW’s traditional rule of having the rear wheels push the car and the front ones steer it. But the thing is that it’s simply a great car all round – and not just a good electric sedan. 

Design and Appearance

Because the i4 is a BMW i car foremost, unlike the other 4 Gran Coupe models it dials back the M-ness, so there’s no M kit on this, the eDrive40. That’s because the M-ness is carried entirely by the more powerful, AWD i4 M50 model. 

That’s not a bad thing in our book, since M Sport is traditionally the most popular trim for BMW cars of any type, and if you want an electric BMW you might not be gunning for that anyway. 

Overall, we like the fact that it mostly looks like a conventional BMW 4 GC – we cover the design points, including the handle-less doors, in our review of that car. In other words, an attractive four-door coupe/fastback body style that doesn’t scream, “I’m electric!” if you don’t look too closely, and it will appeal to people who don’t want to look like they’re jumping on the electric bandwagon. 

Yet, there is no shortage of BMW i touches, including blue highlights on the badge, grille and rear diffuser, and the L-shaped side-blade running down the length of the car and which you can see more of when you open the doors. Like other EVs, it has a mostly-closed grille and no tailpipes. There’s enough here to let people know you’ve decided to leave combustion behind, without having resorted to doing the obvious thing and buying a Tesla.

Page 2: Inside the i4 goes wide on screen space

1. Intro / Design and Appearance 
2. Interior and Features / Space and Practicality 
3. Driving Experience / Competition, Pricing / Conclusion

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