BMW adds cheaper eDrive35 to i4 saloon line-up

24 February 2023

BMW has announced that the all-electric i4 saloon is now available to order in the UK in its ‘eDrive35’ guise, which is not as powerful as the other drivetrain options, but is now the cheapest of the bunch.

Joining the ‘eDrive40’ and sporty ‘M50’ trims that have been on sale since the launch of the i4 in 2021, the ‘eDrive35’ makes use of a 67kWh battery and rear-mounted motor pairing to produce 286hp and a reported electric range of up to 299 miles.

The saloon can complete a 0-62mph sprint in six seconds. Using a 11kW AC charger, the ‘eDrive35’ takes seven hours to fully charge from 0% to 100% battery.

	BMW i4 ‘eDrive35’	BMW i4 ‘eDrive40’
Power output	286hp	340hp
Drive type	Rear-wheel drive	Rear-wheel drive
Battery size	67kWh	82kWh
Battery range	up to 299 miles	up to 365 miles
Max AC charger (and charge time)	11kW (7 hrs)	11kW (8 hrs, 15 mins)
Max DC charger (and charge time)	180kW (32 mins)	205kW (31 mins)
Acceleration	6 seconds (0-62mph)	5.7 seconds (0-62mph)
Gearbox	Automatic	Automatic
Trims levels available	‘Sport’, ‘M Sport’	‘Sport’, ‘M Sport’

The ‘eDrive35’ is now available with the entry-level ‘Sport’ and mid-range ‘M Sport’ trim packages. LED Headlights and 18-inch alloy wheels are fitted as standard, as well as heated seats in the front.

Pricing for this additional drivetrain starts at a smidge below £50k, which is nearly £8k cheaper than the more powerful ‘eDrive40’ already on sale.

With the all-electric i7 saloon arriving in the UK in recent months, and the smaller i5 saloon also set to arrive on British roads later in 2023, BMW says it is now aiming for electric cars to make up half of its production volume this year, with the i4 ‘eDrive35’ being a key contributor.

Reviewers largely conclude that the BMW i4 is not as enjoyable to drive as its combustion-powered equivalent, the 4 Series Gran Coupe, but also agree that the saloon is still a pacy performer which features BMW’s latest on-board tech innovation and a class-leading battery range. It currently holds an Expert Rating of 84%.