2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 review

Senior Editor John Snyder heads to Detroit to check out the 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40, the electric German sedan with its recycled interior.

Video Transcript

JOHN SNYDER: The i4 on display here today is the eDrive40, which has a single electric motor powering the rear, giving it rear wheel drive. That motor has 335 horsepower and 317 pound feet of torque. It'll do 0 to 62 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds with launch control.

Also available will be the sportier i4N50 with two electric motors providing all wheel drive, an output of 536 horsepower and 586 pound feet of torque. A sport boost feature can give you an extra 67 horsepower and 48 pounds for about 10 seconds. And it'll do 0 to 62 in just 3.9 seconds.

Energy for both the eDrive40 and the N50 comes from an 81.5 kilowatt hour battery pack. BMW estimates a range of about 300 miles on a single charge. And can add 90 miles of range just 10 minutes at a DC fast charger. It will be built using 100% renewable energy with sales starting in March of 2022.

The interior of this i4 feels pretty familiar. It seems a lot like the internal combustion cars with some differences in colors. We got the blue all over the place blue, the blue accents, which sort of denote that it's an electric vehicle.

I like this curved double display for the digital display in front of the driver as well as for the infotainment. BMW is using a lot of recycled materials and sustainable materials. For instance, a lot of the plastics and carpets and things like that are made from fishing nets that they got out of the sea, removing those dangers to wildlife. The wood itself is certified by the FSC and it's built using 100% renewable energy. This and the iX are both being built in Germany with complete renewable energy at both plants.