• Three electric powertrains available
• Rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive
• Good performance across the range

What power options are there?

BMW offers the i4 in three flavours. The entry-level model is called the eDrive 35 and was the last to be introduced in 2023. It uses a rear-driven 286hp electric motor and a smaller 70.3kWh battery than the rest of the line-up. It’s still able to accelerate to 62mph in six seconds and offers decent enough pace for most.

The eDrive 40 is our pick of the range. It uses a single electric motor powering the rear wheels, producing a not-inconsiderable 340hp and making for a 0-62mph sprint of just 5.7 seconds. It’s got more range than the 35 because of its larger battery, with BMW claiming up to 366 miles.

Performance is effortless – the i4 accelerates quickly and smoothly, and it’s very easy to modulate the power so that even if you’re going fast, you never jerk your passengers around. The eDrive 40 makes for an excellent motorway cruiser, too, with more than enough power in reserve for overtaking.

Those who want a bit more speed will be well served by the M50 model. It has a second electric motor on the front axle, giving it all-wheel drive and a total power output of 544hp. Some of that’s unlocked in ‘boost’ mode, which brings the 0-62mph sprint down to an impressive 3.9 seconds. Sure, a Tesla will accelerate faster, but we don’t think there’s much in it in normal driving. .

BMW’s hasn’t pitched the M50 as an outright M car, more of an electric rival to the petrol-powered M3 and M4. But we think it lack a bit of drama and finesse to be considered as such. But in performance terms, it’s definitely right on the pace.

Both i4 models come with drive modes to tailor the way the car responds to your inputs. Switch to Sport mode and we love the electronic soundtrack to accompany any quick acceleration. It’s meant to inject some of the drama missing from the lack of an engine under the bonnet, and in many ways it succeeds.

There’s also a clever adaptive regenerative braking feature which uses data from the navigation system and safety sensors to adjust the level of regeneration you get on lifting off the throttle. You can of course switch this off, or bypass it by using ‘B’ mode – this ramps up the regeneration to max and allows you to drive with the accelerator alone.

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What’s it like to drive?

• Superb handling
• Visibility makes urban driving more effort
• The best mainstream electric car to drive on the open road

We’re putting it out there right now – the BMW i4 is among the very best electric cars to drive when it comes to handling and ride comfort. It strikes a near-perfect balance between the two, being huge fun to sling through corners but comfortable enough to make long journeys relaxing.

You do feel the i4’s weight when cornering fast, but BMW’s electronic nannies do a great job of keeping everything in shape while also providing a degree of playfulness. And the steering helps, too – it’s precise, direct and quick without being too heavy.

In terms of driver enjoyment, the i4 knocks the Tesla Model 3 into a cocked hat. The ultimate electric driving machine? We won’t go that far, especially in a world that contains the Hyundai Ioniq 5N, but we’d definitely put the i4 up there with the Porsche Taycan. It’s that good.