How Does The BMW i4 Electric Sedan Stack Up Against The Tesla Model 3?

The Model 3 has taken market share from BMW, can the i4 do the same to Tesla?

Michael Cantu

By: Michael Cantu

Mar 25, 2021 at 5:09pm ET

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BMW's first-ever electric sedan is the i4, a direct rival to the Tesla Model 3. Information about the i4 is still coming out, but the YouTube channel Cleanerwatt did a quick comparison between the two EVs to see if the i4 will be a worthy rival to the segment leader. In case you can't watch the 8-minute video, below is a breakdown. Keep in mind that the i4 is not built on a bespoke EV platform.

With the information we have so far, the i4 looks pretty good. It will be offered in several trims and could offer more than one battery pack option. The range-topping model will have 523 horsepower and can hit 60 mph in under 4 seconds. One model will have an EPA-estimated driving range of 300 miles and 367 miles using the WLTP cycle.

i4 vs Model 3 Cleanerwatt video screenshot

Charging speed is quick, the i4 can charge up to 150 kW using a DC fast charger. This will give the EV about 60 miles of range in about 6 minutes or 80 percent in about 30 minutes. BMW hasn't released an official number, but the battery pack size will be about 80 kWh.

Pricing should be available soon, we expect the BMW i4 to start a little over $50,000. Deliveries are scheduled for late 2021.

i4 vs Model 3 Cleanerwatt video screenshot

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On paper, the BMW i4 is comparable to the Tesla Model 3 in many ways (for a detailed comparison click here for our op-ed). It's also safe to say the i4 will drive well and have good build quality. Although, the i4 won't be backed by an extensive charging network like Teslas are. Also, BMW's driver-assistance system isn't anything like Autopilot and the German automaker doesn't have the software expertise of Tesla.

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The i4 will likely have decent sales like many BMW models do, but as the video states, it likely won't take market share away from Tesla — but it will from ICE vehicles, which is good. When BMW gets more serious about EVs, let's hope it develops one on a dedicated EV platform.

Source: Cleanerwatt (YouTube)

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