【Test Drive】Get into the Blue OceanBMW i4 eDrive40

●The suggested price is 2.55 million yuan

● Cruising range 493~590km (WLTP)

●3 years original factory warranty with unlimited mileage

●Pleasant point: Dynamic four-door coupe shape, sharp and smooth handling response

●The pity of the pearl has brought many design compromises.

Influenced by the placement of the battery pack at the bottom of the vehicle body, most electric vehicles are developing towards high-roofed SUVs or crossover hatchbacks in order to have enough cabin space and just in line with the current trend of leisure travel. In addition to the Taycan, there is only the Tesla Model 3 option for a practical four-door coupe-style pure electric car. Until the appearance of the new BMW i4, this situation finally began to change...

No matter from the body size or the model code G26, it is not difficult to see that the i4 is an electric version derived from the new generation 4 Series Gran Coupe, so the common relationship between oil and electricity seems to have become BMW's future development direction, just like When the new generation 7 Series and X1 models were released, the i7 and iX1 were also unveiled simultaneously. The brand-new i4, which first released the mass production version of the finalized photo online in March last year, was also affected by factors such as the shortage of chips and the original production schedule. , but it was not until the end of May this year that the official launch was announced through a press release, providing two models of eDrive40 and M50, and the price was increased by 50,000 compared with the pre-sale period to 2.55 million yuan and 3.1 million yuan.

The main dynamic four-door coupe

Although the i4 was born by sharing the body design with the 4 Series Gran Coupe, the design concept of the i4 can be traced back to the i Vision Dynamic concept car that was premiered at the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show and was on the stage of the 2020 Taipei New Car Show. The outline of the four-door coupe established at that time continued to the i4 Concept unveiled at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, further establishing the model name and the main design elements of the production version we see now. From the perspective of development, it should even be said that 4GC is based on the i4 The base-derived gasoline version is just right.

Under the premise of the same body size and new-generation family styling style, it is indeed difficult for the i4 to have a particularly obvious difference from the first impression of the previous test drive 4GC, especially the test drive is equipped with a value of 228,000 yuan and currently offers discounts 14 The 10,000-dollar upgraded Racing Package not only adopts the M aerodynamic kit of the same shape, but also the side trims extending from the cooling fin holes of the front fenders are also treated from the eye-catching i exclusive blue to bright black, which can best identify the body. Only the giant double-kidney water tank guard with the same closed design as the iX, the head and tail factory emblems with blue outer rings and the nameplate at the rear, etc., even the i-exclusive blue of the water tank guard frame and the rear diversion groove shape. The color trim strips may be changed to dark gray styles due to the choice of vehicle color. I believe most people will not recognize them immediately when driving on the road. For some consumers who think that pure electric vehicles should represent a unique, advanced, technological future Might be a little disappointed.

Technological atmosphere to the next level

Although it has not been replaced with a more futuristic new car layout than the iX, the i4 is also based on the original 3 and 4 Series interior architecture, introducing an integrated curved surface that combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument and a 14.9-inch multimedia touch interface The screen also uses i-specific blue embellishment for the vehicle start button and gear lever, which has indeed improved in terms of technology, but the i4 itself has almost zero exclusive elements; in addition, with the integrated curved screen replaced with iDrive 8.0 In addition to the gorgeous and colorful main screen presentation of the control system, the complex and trivial menu items still make people feel at a loss at first, and the i4 still uses the configuration of the 3 and 4 Series equipped with iDrive 7.0 because of the in-vehicle control keys. The new-generation 2AT and other models have added subsystem menu shortcut keys. After familiarity, you can quickly enter and adjust various function settings. In contrast, it takes more time to slowly search for the function icon you want to use in the menu bar.

In terms of equipment settings, the imported models come standard with LED headlights, welcome light blankets, smart Comfort Access keyless system, Sensatec breathable leather dual front sports car seats, Sensatec leather instrument panel wrapping, ambient cabin mood lighting, and luxury three-zone Climate control, head-up display for vehicle condition, wireless charging device for mobile phone, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto wireless smartphone integration system, smart voice assistant 2.0, digital key for mobile phone, 360-degree surround view assist photography, automatic parking/reversing assist system, and a complete 5AU driving assistance system, etc., whether luxury comfort or safety technology are above the standard, the performance flagship M50 mainly upgrades smart laser headlights, electric glass sunroof, M double front sports car seats, harman/kardon audio system, etc., 550,000 The price difference of Yuan is more about sports appearance, performance and chassis setting.

Emphasis on agile power output

Different from the iX's unified front and rear dual-motor configuration, the i4 eDrive40 adopts a single-motor pure rear-drive setting. The maximum output of 340hp/43.8kgm pushes the body of just over 2 tons, and the 0~100km/h acceleration can be completed in 5.7 seconds. From the data It doesn't seem to be much faster than the 6.2 seconds of the 430i Gran Coupe (maximum output 245hp/40.8kgm), but the fast output of the electric motor can be said to be quite thorough on the i4, whether it is Comfort, Sport, or even Eco Pro. In the driving mode, as long as the switch is slightly heavier, a very direct and solid power will emerge. In combination with the single-pedal mode where the acceleration and deceleration can be controlled between the pedals after switching to the B gear, it can be as light as the previous i3. Freely shuttle in the car array, so unhappy!

Even on an uphill mountain road, the i4 eDrive40 can still show a brisk feeling that exceeds expectations. Most of the time, it only needs to maintain about half of the pedal stroke to bring a smooth and lively driving pace. The rear of the car will be thrown out directly, and then the dynamic stability control system will be corrected. The overall performance level is almost comparable to that of the previous six-cylinder turbo models, which is definitely not the entry level of the mere entry level. The i4 eDrive40 can't be like the iX xDrive40 that was previously tested. It has the extension of the middle and rear sections as if the engine speed gradually increased in the past, and the driving characteristics and fun creation are different.

This car is equipped with an 83.9kWh battery pack, and the WLTP cruising range is 493~590 kilometers, but maybe the recent test drive media driving methods are more enthusiastic. When the car is nearly fully charged (99%), the instrument shows that the driving distance is only 380 kilometers, after a test drive of about 200 kilometers in one day, the remaining power reaches 35%, and the driving distance is 162 kilometers. After rough calculation, the energy consumption performance of 3.64km/kWh is obtained, because except for high-speed long-distance and urban detours , It also includes non-daily vehicle conditions such as intense driving on mountain roads, zero-hundred acceleration test, etc. The data obtained are for reference only. The most important thing is that the remaining power and mileage data fluctuate little during the whole day of driving, which can make people feel at ease. Display data to plan the next trip without causing noticeable range anxiety.

Pure rear drive jump style

Like the 4GC, the i4 also adopts the CLAR rear-wheel drive platform widely used by BMW, and the suspension structure also adopts the front MacPherson and rear multi-link layout. What is more special is that the original engineer also added the i4 to the i4 which was used in the 5 Series in the past. The automatic horizontal air suspension on the rear axle on medium-to-large touring vehicles such as Touring, 6 Series Gran Turismo and 7 Series or long-axle flagships should be used to offset the overall weight change and dynamic inertia caused by the battery pack under the vehicle. In addition, the test car has an M sports car-like electronic suspension system due to the optional Racing Package. Although the rim style has changed, the tire size remains the same as the standard front 245/45R18 and rear 255/45R18.

Benefiting from the tire size that will not be too flat, the full cooperation between the electronic suspension and the automatic horizontal air suspension of the rear axle, the driving texture of this car in Comfort mode is quite soft and comfortable, and in Sport mode, it is only supportive in the middle and rear sections. It is relatively improved, and the shock absorption performance in the initial stage is still fast and delicate. With the excellent sound insulation of the cabin, which was impressive when I tested the 4GC, it can give people a comfortable and comfortable driving experience under various road conditions. The rear-wheel drive characteristics of the car have gradually emerged. When turning the steering wheel into a corner, the rear axle will most likely be actively brought out to the outside, thereby reducing the steering angle and reducing the tendency to push the head. If you deliberately increase the switch when exiting the corner, you can also feel the lively car. The tail dynamics, but after all, this car has a weight of more than 2 tons. It is inevitable that there will be more obvious up and down shaking on the road with large ups and downs. The dynamic delicacy in the corners is still slightly lower than that of fuel rear-drive models such as the 3 Series Sedan. There are shortcomings, but if only compared with today's mass-produced electric cars, the overall driving pleasure can definitely be among the best.

Test drive experience ~ stick to the fun of driving

In order to reduce the development and manufacturing costs, the i4 inevitably chooses the way of symbiosis with 4GC, but the original engineers not only put a lot of effort into the chassis setting, but even use the automatic horizontal air suspension on the rear axle to create a flexible rear drive. It is admirable to maintain the brand's intention and persistence in the tradition of fun control.