1st Drive BMW i4 40 - "Miles" better than the M50 | 4K 

Thanks for watching as always! Hopefully see some of you on the 13th 👌 Peace ☮️

Very impressive. Looked very secure given the weather and condition of the road you were using. Potential successor for those of us still driving diesel BMs!

Glad you liked it, seems like "basic" rwd models of electric cars are often the better choice for us driving enthusiasts.

Great Joe. Been hoping you would get a video in the i4 ‘40’. Going to enjoy watching this better range version. 👌👏

picking mine up tomorrow. your video mitigates buyer's remorse.

Great review Joe and very honest for some one who loves ICE cars. I take delivery of my high spec BMW i4 eDrive 40 M sport in 3 weeks time. I can’t wait.

Another great vid, Joe. Thorough and honest as ever. Proof that the best model isn’t always the most expensive..

Thanks Joe, great review. I was hesitant on ordering the edrive40 until I had test driven it, as on paper, it's slower than my 435d. I needn't have worried. I can confirm, it feels way quicker. Mine is due September. 😁

Been waiting for this video! Thanks

I love your honesty, keep it up.

The ‘40’ was always the one to go for for maybe 90% of i4 buyers. Nice machine!

Nice Joe. Impressive. Thanks for sharing mate.

I think as for range you really need to try it first. BMW have a history of under-reporting the range, to be on the safe side. In a real world test by Björn Nyland, he got the same model you had to go 416 miles (670 km) on one charge. That was longer than he was able to get Tesla M3 LR.

I have a model 3 and love one pedal driving. It reminds me of driving a carbureted car with manual transmission that provided engine braking.

Cracking video and has all but persuaded me to buy one of these. The i4 40 is the one. Cheers Joe.

Thanks for the honest review. Living outside of Chicago, the AWD is more appealing for driving in snow. Does anyone have experience driving either I4 in the snow?

Thank you BMW for the new display, now I can be in the conversation again. Great vid mate.

Good review Joe as always buddy

Excellent review thank you Joe for your honesty. This comparative looks like m135i an 128ti.

great short video, this has helped me decide to go for this model instead of M50

I think this was identical to the i4 i had and the same terrible weather lol. Really enjoyable video

Hi Joe, thanks for the review. Came to the same conclusion after test driving both…. E40 feels lighter on its feet! The added range and lower payments are a bonus… e40 is now signed!

I ordered mine in May, it was built and ready for delivery by the end of August!

Great review For me I'll choose the M50

Thank you for your review. I went back in forth between ordering the eDrive 40 M sport and the M50. Finally decided on the eDrive 40 with most options. After your review, I’m glad I did! Thank you for validating my decision.

Excellent as usual Joe- I want this in the Aveturine (sp) red one with 20" M Performace wheels lowered about 5 mm with 5mm spacers on the wheels and Alcantara sport steering wheel. DONE

I'm very happy with my eDrive 40 M-sport with adaptive suspension, laser lights and head-up display 🙂 The rear seat is surprisingly cramped, and with less space than the F30 3-series I had before. Well, we're a family of 3 and my wife and child are not too large, so not a problem.

Have to say, that green paint looks niiiiiice!

Hi Joe, great video! Perhaps an idea, think about your EU viewers and always show the Km's and consumption in white text when you tell them in miles in the video 😁

Hi Joe, nice video. Are you planning to drive the iX3? I’m really interested how you thing it compares to the iX and the i4.

Looking forward to seeing ur new M3 Xdrive video Joe

please do i7! I love the effort and energy you are putting in to the channel! Based on your review I bought a M3 Competition xDrive.

Hi Joe, I have seen most of the other i4 reviews and yours best answers the big question: "What's it like to drive?". Battery weight is definitely the main issue with most EVs. One exception, the BMW i3 does so by using carbon fibre and aluminium, so it's a fun driver's car but is limited to about 180 miles of range, thus we also run a 320d EDplus just for long trips, it averages 68mpg. However good the i4 is, if you are someone who must go on long distance trips, there is a dreaded problem, yes, the unfortunate charging infrastructure - just travel the M5 to see how trying it gets. At chargers stations you are waiting and so you speak to other EV drivers, they often say "I wish I had a Tesla". So like you, I love my Beemers but practicality determines that, for now anyway, the realistic alternative (because of the Tesla supercharger network) is a Tesla model 3 or an even more practical model Y and their great acceleration and tech is a compensating factor.

Have to agree just tested this car myself and it's the first EV I could live with, a fun drive. Still not the same quality as my BMW 6 gran coupe 640d.

Loving that colour.....reminds me of the old VW "Campaign Green" special paint colour.

Thanks for this clear video: you convinced me to take an I4 and a 40 😅

I kind of like the "base" steering wheel more than the M wheel. The adaptive suspension, stereo upgrade, and the ventilated seats are the options I would choose.

Hello Joe: This video convinced me to buy a RWD i4 and cancel my AWD which I had on order. Following your podcast and RU-vid Tube content daily now. I did send a message on FB asking ng if you had any thought on the i4M which BMW are planning for 2024. Try or Quad motor etc. I am the iSeries Chair for The BMW Car Club (UK) so interested for the club and maybe for myself. Great content every time Joe.

Interesting review Joe. With so few saloon car EV's on the market , looks like an alternative to a Model 3....

Are we possibly going to see a range test when you get this for a week?

Great video, thanks Joe! Replacing my audi A7 2014 next year for either I40 or M50.... still wondering which model to choose. I'm living in Québec, Canada with over 3 months of snow\iice conditions. I am wondering if I would regret choosing RWD i40 over AWD m50, since there are lots of hills in my town/ region. No models yet for test drive here. Range not a consideration. I would greatly appreciate your input on my dilemma

Nice video Joe, must be good if your liking it, how about an I8 video

For my first EV later this year, its between this BMW i4 40 and a Tesla Y.

Hi joe - I get mine next month … every review has said the i40 is the one to get … looking forward to getting now … it’s been 7 month wait !

People always say they recommend this car over the M50. I do have a question though, does it have Pre collision control? I didn't see anything in the specs that it was standard. If anyone knows, feel free to comment! 😁

How about steering wheel paddles for adjusting regeneration?

in canada once you properly spec an i4 40, you get close to the base price of the m50 which comes with way more standard features so its a no brainer to go m50 unless you really need the extra range

Great drive, I’m coming from a Tesla model 3 performance and drove the M50 and like you really was disappointed I was looking forward to BM handling as I’ve previously had M3’s but it did not deliver so I have ordered the M40 with that pro pack as a replacement

Best EV on the market imo, looks like a conventional ICE car, with 4 decent seats for a family, great range and to top it off a hatchback. This knocks socks of a Model 3 imo. In fact the chap in BMW was telling me he's sold a few to Model 3 owners 😂

Have m50 0n order, and got to drive one at the weekend. It’s replacing my M3 CS, and yes, it’s not the same …. But I was hugely impressed with it, and looking forward to taking delivery several months from now 🤣 Salary sacrifice scheme at work makes EV very compelling if you have the option 👍🏻

I4 e40 with the Mperformance package is the one!

Hi Joe. I am interested to know if you would have the same conclusion if you lived in a country with a snowy winter…

Hi Joe, I had an oppertunity 2 weeks ago to drine the M50 and then the drive 40 back to back. The local dealer was swapping cars and I was told I was possibly the first to be able to do this outside of the press. I agree with you the performance is so close, but some how the traction felt more controlled and the steering had so much more feel. Add this to the refinement and range it is pretty much a no brainer to chose the I4 40. Couple of points. If you chose the Sport model instead of the M option pack you get a light roof liner which makes the car much less claustrophobic. The car you have there optioned up though is still well nearly £63K. I think I is a car which options you really need is going to affect the price. I still think key options are the technology pack and steering heating. I know the laser lights are amazing but the Led lights are pretty good. So is it worth £1500? Not sure. A comfort pack with memory seats and heated steering is more important if you share the car with your wife / partner. But this i4 40 is such a great balance. What tyres did the car have. I am sure if it had Michellin Pilot Sport 4S tyres the grip would be even better. The Pirelli P zeros just scramble all over on the M50. Did you have a look? My experience with EV motoring is after completing 20K in a Taycan 4S and the i4 looks to be the most compelling replacement as a business car. Range, refinement, cost and great ride! I would say the i4 40 suits the M badge better than the lifeless M50. That car just doesn't have the calibration right for the steering or traction. Great reviews by the way! Keep up the great work.

I’ve driven the i4 40 very recently and soon to get a chance in the M50 so will be interesting to see if I share your opinion. Agreed on the performance seems way more than the figures suggest.

Do you recall which tires BMW puts on from the factory? Be nice if you could sideload audio effects that match the acceleration so you could put a V12 engine sound in the cabin as you rip down those roads. You can make your own commercial! 🤭😁🤣

I'm on a journey of videos to make my mind up on an M50 (and other cars) and I saw people mentioned the e40. What I've noticed that there is a lot of confirmation bias whichever side you're looking for. M50 was proven on a track by a competent racer and yes it was heavy, but with the right config it handled sufficiently. The e40 being the 'proper M car' as some people have put it, is nonsense (confirmation bias). But I will continue to research. Thanks for a great video.

im getting the sport trim because you cant get the exterior blue strip om the m sport

Joe likes the i4 40 because petrol prices are doubling!

is this a true 40? 40i or 40d they are all about 5sec or under to 100kmh...this one is closer to 6 sec...aka 330i...so maybe a i4 30 actually? 😁

Hi joe! G87 M2 will also have the curved display

Hi Joe I think I m the first one to comment on ur epic bmw electric as always u nailed it 👌 greetings from Toronto Canada mate

You should describe just the basic car package with price, then list the optional packs with prices and functions later on.

Why can't they figure out how to mold the dash around the display?

Max. power availability is no different in EVs than in fossil IC cars. Max power is always at top torque and top revolutions, since power is the product of those two. What you ment to say I think was that the TORQUE is available at any rev. in an EV. None the less. good review.

The i4 M50's extra power is very useful on the highway. In the city and or country roads as ridden by you I can understand that you prefer the i4 40 but on the highway or other roads while overtaking I found the M50 superior. We both drove cars and ended up buying the M50. The 40 and M50 both offer a lot of fun to drive, but extra power is always welcome. I myself did not find the (extra) weight noticeable, but I am not an expert, just an enthusiast.

The head up display is almost redundant with sun glasses. I rented the i4 for 19 days from San Francisco. I got bogged in the country and hated the heated seat and the assistant ai couldn't turn it off. Cooling seat I would prefer.

I'm looking at a new m50 as my next car, I currently have the wonderful g22 440i so taking the ev plunge will be a biggie for me, I'll check out the 40 before proceeding. Cheers Joe...👍

does this RWD do burnouts?

Quick question, and this is something I have rarely heard anyone talking about it.. Is there a safety measure that prevents the vehicle from moving while plugged in? A while ago someone drove off from a fueling station and caused a huge explosion. The fuel nozzle was still connected and the car yanked it. I know Electric chargers will probably not explode in such an instance but still seems like a decent safety measure to avoid damage to the charger and the charging system...

My concern is about the quality of the batteries. There's little information about the battery manufacturer "Eve".

I am was really interested in the I4 40 as a company car, but i soon realised the options i was speccing the i4 40 with came free with the i4 50 or at a cheaper price making the I4 40 only 5K cheaper then the I4 50 when specced to what i want... This may be a stupid question but can you turn traction off in the i4 40? and 50? and can you go in RWD only in the i4 50?

There have been several reviews on this car and they have all been very positive. The weakness is of course it is based on the 4 Series Grand Coupe, which looks good but the rear space is compromised. By the way its not the power that is available at all revs but rather the torque. Petrol cars maximum torque is a lot wider than it used to be and is flat from around 1500 rpm to 4500 rpm. The reason electric cars accelerate better is the maximum torque starts at 100 rpm and stays constant up to high revs, of course with software/electronics this can be modeled to have a smoother increase and drop off to make the car feel less aggressive and more comfortable for passengers. The issue as always is weight which is over 300 Kg heavier than the 440i. As this the same platform as the 3 series it makes sense to make an i3 40 and with less power a i3 30 so not sure why BMW have not done that, I know they are making a long wheel version in China for the local market but the 3 series is lighter than the Grand Coupe so in theory it would be even better than the i4 on range/performance and handling and better rear passenger space . Still not convinced the average driver needs or can cope with so much power and acceleration. Good video as always, look forward to the full test.

BHP=top speed Torque=acceleration. The reason EV's feel so fast is that all the torque is available all the time and there's a lot of it compared to a petrol engine.

Great video Joe, made me want one, if only I could afford it!!

Interesting, how big difference 165 kilos i.e. 2 adults makes to driving dynamics …

I love caffeine & machine such a great place.

I am attracted to the i4 gran coupe, but concerned that if driving myself in this huge car, my leg might touch or rub on something, or my feet might be trapped in a "footwell." I'm ready to go back in the direction we were headed before the transmission and combustion engine were added to the carriage.

Hi Joe. Love your stuff and glad you found an EV that puts a smile on the face. Can I just ask, in terms of mid range performance, what does it compare to most similarly? 330D or 340D? I assume not at 340i levels but stronger performance than a 330i? I'm thinking of the 50-70mph punch and 70-90 (Autobahn only of course!) Thanks.

5.7nseconds? My RAV4 Prime does 5.7.

The main difference is when the roads are greasy /snow /or raining the m50 wont let you down like Rwd can 👍🏼

I hear what you’re saying about m sport having better residuals but the fake vents on the side of the kidney grills on the m sport model put me off. Prefer the slightly more subtle look of the sport model.

idk why the grill looks better on the i4, looks great

I would by the i4 40 b7t it doesn't have awd.. so that's a no from me here I Canada

The xDrive 40 will be selling like hotcakes! Coming fall 2022👍🏻

Great video! I ordered the eDrive 40 M sport today😀

very enlightening video. I agree with the e40 option. save 10k and spend on upgrades instead and larger range. dont think the extra weight and hp is worth 10k unless you just dont mind spending the money

So what about the range? Does it actually achieve the predicted range?

Great Review Joe, just about to send back my X3M and M135i, settled for a I3S for the wife for her pottering, and myself nothing im going to weigh things up. My heads saying M3 my heart the I4. Lets see how i manage without anything LOL, probably last a week.......im now going to price one of these up :) just for fun Honest

Hello Joe: Your video convinced me to get the RWD i4. 12 months ago I ordered a M50. In august I was told it might not be delivered until min 2023. I the found a completed eDrive40 that had just left Munich (cancelled order). This then got stuck at Killingholme for 3 months due to a recall before it was even registered. I was told by BMW Genius on line that car would definitely be delivered in August so I sold my F Type and XE 300 Sport. I then cancelled. Then I bought a M4 Competition (F82). Love it but the dealers RWD i4 eDrive40 came up for sale and I px the M4 for it and collect tomorrow. Car is fully loaded and not subject to the deletions due to chip and Ukraine component supplies. So 10k on the clock is no problem. As an apology for giving me the wrong information BMW UK have treated me to a full day event at Palmer Sport next year. Looking at a Palmer You Tube Clip I saw your name on the drivers list. Your videos are fantastic and I am glad I'm subscribed.

A great video. Only at minute #10:04, as someone who usually drives on the right side, I almost had a heart attack.

Back seat is plenty big enough unless you are 6'2". Does not like to use the regen braking. Really?

I want one, but I’ll probably have to settle for a used Model 3 for a fraction of the price

I wanna buy that exact same one and do uber in canada… would that be a good idea?

Steering wheel wrong side! 😎

Joe, I agree with you: the black interior is too dark. I have a M50 on order with bright canberra beige interior. Your example of the eDrive40M probably costs as much as the entry level M50 that has adaptive air suspension as standard. With that same config as the M50 with same 19’ wheels, the 40M has ”only” 20km extra range. How many of you will say no to 4wd and almost double torque and power for same price? PS: I cant remember you drove the M50 with DSC off - that beast becomes much wilder in off-mode!

Ahh Joe the heartbreaker 🤣 - I'm still excited about my M50 (Portimao Blue metallic) coming in the summer... Though I am in Southern California, I'm moving back to my home region of the Pacific NW this summer so the X drive made more sense (I'm coming from a 2016 328i Xdrive). But I do hope I start seeing the e40 (or the M50) on the road instead of the Model 3 😈 But good to know that if you had to, that the e40 would be a legitimate choice for you.

One pedal driving FTW

what’s the color of this car? it looks amazing

I really don't understand why they didn't design a modern dashboard to integrate the long/wide "glass cockpit" instrumentation more cleanly than this - this is basically an old design developed along standard analog instrumentation, but with this new stuff just slapped up there on stilts. It looks like some Ali Express-sourced retrofit. Someday I'm sure they'll clean this up but for now, it looks hideous to my eye.

Are you saying that the M division took a car and worsened it? 😱