The BMW brand lifted the veil last week on an even more affordable livery of its i4 electric compact sedan. Named i4 eDrive35, it wants to pull the rug out from under the increasingly expensive Tesla Model 3.
Posted at 6:45 p.m.
With a starting price of $54,990, the Bavarian is $6,400 less than its cheapest variant so far (eDrive40) and is $6,990 more accessible than an entry Tesla Model 3. Considering that it retails for US$51,400 south of the border, the Canadian market is a real winner in terms of price.
To accomplish this, BMW only offers it in a rear-wheel-drive configuration. Its single engine produces 281 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, which allows it to complete a 0-100 km/h in around 6 seconds, according to the manufacturer. Autonomy, provided by a 70.2 kWh battery, is around 418 km, which makes it really competitive against its American rival.
On the charging side, it relies on a 400 V electrical architecture to be compatible with terminals of up to 180 kW. This guarantees a recharge time of 32 min to go from 10 to 80% on fast charging stations with this capacity.
The i4 eDrive35 is also eligible for full provincial ($7,000) and federal ($5,000) subsidies after taxes are added. It will go on sale early next year.