REVIEW | The BMW i4 is a silent and swift grand tourer

A decade ago our collective enthusiasm for electric vehicles was probably a lot hotter than it is now.    

Load-shedding was a factor, of course, but certainly not at the same frequency with which the planned (and unplanned) outages strike today.    

In the beginning of 2013 BMW started getting more vocal about its electrification plans for the country. It brought over two of its early trial cars, the Mini E and Active E, based on the familiar Cooper three-door and 1-Series coupé respectively.    

While there were some packaging constraints (and a limited range), we were thoroughly impressed by the potential these vehicles represented during test drive sessions in the Western Cape.    

There were other developments on the electric front.

In May 2013, Nissan marked a three-year research partnership with Eskom, handing the parastatal 10 examples of the first generation Leaf, ahead of its official launch later that year. The collaboration was for the purposes of raising awareness, in addition to studying the viability of infrastructure.

Fast-forward to 2023, electric vehicle technology has advanced at an incredible pace and companies such as GridCars have been crucial to the cause, establishing a countrywide network of more than 300 charging stations. 

The one aspect that failed to keep up, as we all know, is a steady flow of power from the nation’s energy supplier.    

Be that as it may, carmakers are not slowing in their onslaught of electrified metal. We often hear from manufacturers that buyers of such offerings, while not impervious to load-shedding entirely, are not afraid to spend on top-grade solar or inverter solutions to achieve a life off the grid and away from the petrol pumps. A pretty sweet setup, if you can secure the means.    

When BMW’s i4 M50 arrived for testing, we thought it might be fitting to enjoy a cross-country sojourn to a destination where the average premium electric vehicle owner would luxuriate for a weekend.    

Sun City’s Palace of the Lost City seems to be a popular spot for electric vehicle drivers  since the establishment has a section with several AC charging bays. In addition, it’s not unreasonably far no matter where in Gauteng you are.    

From my side of the world in Roodepoort, the navigation showed a journey of little over 160km. Seemed like an easy feat, given the indicated full-charge range of 360km on the vehicle’s instrument cluster.    

Still, we weren’t about to get too comfortable ahead of setting off since factors can impact an electric vehicle’s range quite dramatically in the real world.    

That includes use of air-conditioning, your overtaking habits and, quite obviously, the heaviness of that right foot.    

My first stop before setting off was the GridCars’ DC charging facility on Hendrik Potgieter Road, opposite Clearwater Mall. It was for top-up purposes. A reminder that public DC chargers cost about R5.88 per kWh, so if we had to replenish the 83.9kWh battery of the BMW from flat, it would cost R493. 

The average person seems to confuse the i4 M50 with the full-fat, loud and proud M4. Of course, the M4 is not available in Gran Coupé format - so there’s your first clue should you suspect sighting an i4 in the wild.

Many will agree the model looks spectacular, sleek, aggressive and endowed with that unmistakable sense of glamour boasted by Bimmer’s traditional coupés. The M Performance catalogue includes distinctive aerodynamic enhancements, a superior braking system, sportier interior elements and a special array of sound effects (more on that later).    

Of course, it is also set apart from the regular i4 eDrive40 (not sold in SA) by a meaner powertrain. Its battery powers electric motors at the front and rear, with a combined output of 400kW and 795Nm. That translates into a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.9 seconds. This is the same as a rear-wheel drive M4 Competition. It costs R1,637,900. The M4 Competition in all-wheel drive comes in at R2,100,000. A note the rear-wheel drive M4 was not listed on BMW's latest price list.    

Chalk it down to a lack of acoustics and zero drama, four-wheel drive grip off the line, the sprinting abilities of the i4 are great, but will not leave your palms sweating as a rear-driven M4 might.    

The engineers tried to dial in a novel acoustic character to the i4. Engaging Sport model brings on a synthesised, bass-filled buzzing sound, somewhat emulating the tone of a combustion engine. It is an interesting noise, but when an Audi RS4 Avant thundered past, it was clear the i4 would come second-best in a sound-off. No matter, it has other strengths.    

Range anxiety was once a big impediment to the prospect of electric vehicle ownership. With battery technologies having improved, that concern is not as great as it once was.    

Arriving at Sun City, our average electricity consumption was 17kWh/100km and the remaining battery life showed 68%. Were we to forego charging, there was little doubt the return leg could have been made comfortably. But, you treat these vehicles like a smartphone: plug in at every chance.    

No anxiety in the range department, but there was certainly anxiety over the terrible road surfaces passing Hartbeespoort via the R512 roads and through the North West on the R556.    

The low profile rubber of the i4 would not have stood a chance against many of the craters. It was a true test of agility and driver alertness. We noted with surprise, however, the pliancy with which the performance-orientated BMW tackled ripples and undulations. Damping is nothing short of excellent, with a suspension that facilitates superb body control and composure under duress. On the route back, we opted to go past Rustenburg, on the R565, R104 and R24. For the most part, road quality was better, allowing for a more relaxed drive.    

Electric vehicles are moving beyond a niche. That you could comfortably take a drive across provinces in the average battery-powered offering is good proof of how the technology has progressed in a relatively short time. Sooner than later our energy parastatal needs to catch up.