New BMW i4 eDrive35 base model goes on sale

The i4 might only be two years old but BMW’s rapidly all-electric expansion has seen the iX1, iX3, iX and i7 all arrive in that time, making the i4 already one of the firm’s older EV models. Now there’s a new entry point to i4 ownership - the eDrive35. 

Sitting below the eDrive40 and M50 versions of the i4, the new iteration starts from £49,995 - undercutting the eDrive40 by £7,895. There’s not much to tell the cheaper model apart from other i4s. The Sport model gets 18-inch alloy wheels, LED lights front and rear, a Sport bodykit and blue exterior accents. 

Inside you’ll find heated front seats, a curved screen made from a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 14.9-inch touchscreen, plus BMW’s latest iDrive 8 infotainment system. Step up to the £51,495 M Sport and there are sportier front and rear bumpers - the same as on other i4s, plus new wheels, an M Sport leather steering wheel and different interior stitching. 

The more crucial changes come in the battery department. Instead of the eDrive40 and M50’s 81.5kWh unit, there’s a 70.2kWh battery in the eDrive35. It sends power to a single electric motor mounted on the rear axle - just like the eDrive40. 

BMW claims the eDrive35 can reach 299 miles on a single charge, although if you spec the M Sport model this drops to 288 miles. It might be down on the eDrive40’s 355bhp, but 282bhp on tap means the 0-62mph for both trim levels stands at a decent 6 seconds. Recharging takes 32 minutes to go from 10-80 per cent - maxing out at a 180kW charge rate. 

The new i4 eDrive is available to order now and BMW says customers should see first deliveries by the summer. 

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