[mclark2112]

I am looking to order an M50, as I live in the northeast and haven't had an AWD vehicle since 1991. And, well, speed...

My daily commute is 80 miles total, with about 50 of it on the highway.

Here in Jersey, the slow lane is doing 75. In my X3M40i and my 335 before that cruising speed could easily be anywhere from 80-100.

What do you think the real world range would be, at speed for the i4? I plan to just top up the charge every night, but I'm curious.

[Encanto]

Originally Posted by mclark2112

I am looking to order an M50, as I live in the northeast and haven't had an AWD vehicle since 1991. And, well, speed...

My daily commute is 80 miles total, with about 50 of it on the highway.

Here in Jersey, the slow lane is doing 75. In my X3M40i and my 335 before that cruising speed could easily be anywhere from 80-100.

What do you think the real world range would be, at speed for the i4? I plan to just top up the charge every night, but I'm curious.

My real world range estimate would be about 80% of the M50 max range under the conditions that you describe, and above 65 degrees. So for example, your day will start at an indicated 260 miles (average data from driving days prior), drive 80 miles that day, and back home you may have 125-140miles range left indicated in your M50. That’s about a real max range between 205 and 220, where 80% of OEM max range of 270 miles is 216 miles.

What you will quickly notice is that, if you do not push the car much during those 30 miles before the highway, your range will improve significantly. The range killer is the sustained high speed drive on the highway.

[spool twice]

Yes, the sustained highway is the killer, will there be opportunities to slow down due to traffic?

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by spool twice

Yes, the sustained highway is the killer, will there be opportunities to slow down due to traffic?

This is the problem. I don't buy a BMW to "slow down due to traffic". I currently drive a 530e (but really wanted a 545e but BMW won't sell it in the USA) and plan on my next car being a full BEV but it must be both a performance and range vehicle. I don't need crazy performance, and I don't track my car, but I do want sufficient power to easily meet my needs.

For example, there is a road I sometimes traverse that is mostly one lane in each direction with a 65 MPH speed limit BUT there are a couple of passing lanes on steep hills. I will sometimes see a car pulling a trailer on that hill and want to be able to easily pass on that passing lane. Will my new car be able to meet the challenge readily as to both speed and impact on range.

Right now, the Lucid Air looks very promising but time will tell (a Lucid Air "Pure" which is the most basic model should meet my needs with a reported 480 HP and 400 mile range).

I am currently figuring on replacing my current car in 2023 or 2024 and will see what the options are at that time. I do have a refundable $300 deposit down on the Lucid.

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

This is the problem. I don't buy a BMW to "slow down due to traffic". I currently drive a 530e (but really wanted a 545e but BMW won't sell it in the USA) and plan on my next car being a full BEV but it must be both a performance and range vehicle. I don't need crazy performance, and I don't track my car, but I do want sufficient power to easily meet my needs.

For example, there is a road I sometimes traverse that is mostly one lane in each direction with a 65 MPH speed limit BUT there are a couple of passing lanes on steep hills. I will sometimes see a car pulling a trailer on that hill and want to be able to easily pass on that passing lane. Will my new car be able to meet the challenge readily as to both speed and impact on range.

Right now, the Lucid Air looks very promising but time will tell (a Lucid Air "Pure" which is the most basic model should meet my needs with a reported 480 HP and 400 mile range).

I am currently figuring on replacing my current car in 2023 or 2024 and will see what the options are at that time. I do have a refundable $300 deposit down on the Lucid.

Lucid looks to be a game changer throughout the $80k-160k range for BEV. Fisker looks to be a similar type game changer in the $30k-60k segment.

I was looking at a Lucid also, but delivery won't work for me since the basic model delivers late.

I think the M50 might work for you, although it won't have the range of the Lucid it will definitely have the power. Actually with 300+ HP the I4 eDrive40 would work and give you range.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by techwhiz1

Actually with 300+ HP the I4 eDrive40 would work and give you range.

Given used car prices are still high it may be OK to swap into a eDrive40. My CA has not returned my inquiry yet.

[Rich9600]

Driving that full distance at high speed will be difficult.
Any car consumes lots at high speed. But, the occasional burst of speed to overtake doesn't hurt as much. It is sustained high speed that drains big.
Resistance is not linear and increases by roughly a square rule. So, going a bit faster costs a lot more power.
On my test drive I took an M50 with the 20" extra wide performance wheels for a test drive. It was initially reporting a range of 261 miles. I took it out for 101 miles.
~30 miles on some urban and single carriageway 60mph roads gave an average of ~2.8miles/KW.
35-40miles if 70mph motorway dropped it to ~2.2miles/KW and a projected total range of notably less than 200 miles on leaving the motorway.
Once back on the single carriageway roads for ~30 miles my range kept increasing and my consumption increased to an average of 2.6mikes/KW.
Just under 2 hours, 101 miles at an average of 53mph. Total urban of about 10 minutes. 50% battery used from 100%. 126 miles reported remaining after driving the latter part of the journey on flowing 60mph limit A roads.
I drove at speeds that I would have been very unlucky to attract police attention.
The 19" wheels give ~20% more range.
The car should fit your needs. Just, maybe not averaging 80mph!

[spool twice]

No BEV will be efficient at sustained 80-100mph speeds...ICE engines aren't either.

[Haywood]

Originally Posted by Rich9600

Driving that full distance at high speed will be difficult.
Any car consumes lots at high speed. But, the occasional burst of speed to overtake doesn't hurt as much. It is sustained high speed that drains big.
Resistance is not linear and increases by roughly a square rule. So, going a bit faster costs a lot more power.
On my test drive I took an M50 with the 20" extra wide performance wheels for a test drive. It was initially reporting a range of 261 miles. I took it out for 101 miles.
~30 miles on some urban and single carriageway 60mph roads gave an average of ~2.8miles/KW.
35-40miles if 70mph motorway dropped it to ~2.2miles/KW and a projected total range of notably less than 200 miles on leaving the motorway.
Once back on the single carriageway roads for ~30 miles my range kept increasing and my consumption increased to an average of 2.6mikes/KW.
Just under 2 hours, 101 miles at an average of 53mph. Total urban of about 10 minutes. 50% battery used from 100%. 126 miles reported remaining after driving the latter part of the journey on flowing 60mph limit A roads.
I drove at speeds that I would have been very unlucky to attract police attention.
The 19" wheels give ~20% more range.
The car should fit your needs. Just, maybe not averaging 80mph!

This is great data. Thanks for posting. I ordered the 20" wheels because this is not going to be my daily driver so I don't really worry about maximum range. I'll take the trade off.

[jeff2.0t]

Originally Posted by Rich9600

The car should fit your needs. Just, maybe not averaging 80mph!

I dont agree with you, he only travel 80 milles per day. Even if he beat the shit out of the car and burn tire on a monthly basis I dont see how he could't travel 80 milles.

[BimmerBahn]

Originally Posted by jeff2.0t

I dont agree with you, he only travel 80 milles per day. Even if he beat the shit out of the car and burn tire on a monthly basis I dont see how he could't travel 80 milles.

It's not traveling 80 miles, it's averaging a high rate of speed (70 mph+) . BEVs are _very_ inefficient at those speeds. I make a ~180 mile round trip in my Tesla several times a month. If I stay under 70 MPH, I can make the round trip on a single charge. If I run my usual 82 MPH, I'm spending time at Supercharger to get my SoC up to so I can get home.

[Rich9600]

Originally Posted by jeff2.0t

I dont agree with you, he only travel 80 milles per day. Even if he beat the shit out of the car and burn tire on a monthly basis I dont see how he could't travel 80 milles.

I read the initial statement as 80 miles each way. 160 miles daily commute… Reading again I probably got the wrong end of the stick.
Daily charging using a battery friendly SOC between 20-80% gives ~48KWh. Over 80 miles this lets you use 1.7miles/KW. That's a fairly fast drive…

[jeff2.0t]

Originally Posted by BimmerBahn

It's not traveling 80 miles, it's averaging a high rate of speed (70 mph+) . BEVs are _very_ inefficient at those speeds. I make a ~180 mile round trip in my Tesla several times a month. If I stay under 70 MPH, I can make the round trip on a single charge. If I run my usual 82 MPH, I'm spending time at Supercharger to get my SoC up to so I can get home.

He wont have any trouble make it, at any average speed, if we talk about 80 milles per day. If OP means 80 miles to go and 80 miles back, (160 miles both way), that's another story.

[jeffc42]

Car and Driver does real world 75mph range tests on EVs. The July/August "EV of the Year" issue tabulated what they have so far. The best was the Porsche Taycan 4S PBP, which hit 97% of its EPA estimate. Second best was the Ford Mustang Mach-E 4X, which hit 93%. The worst was the Tesla Model 3 Performance, which hit only 71%. Second worst was the Nissan Leaf Plus at 74%.

How will the BMW i4 do? It'll be months before Car and Driver gets their hands on one and puts it through the wringer. The 2021 EV of the Year, by the way, was the Mach-E.

They also compared range vs speed. Quoting the numbers for the Tesla M3P, it's 329 miles at 50mph, 276 at 60mph, 238 at 70mph, 207 at 80mph, 173 at 90mph, and 150 at 100mph. EPA is 310 miles.

[mclark2112]

Just getting back to this. Thanks for all the input.

Yes, my commute is 40 miles each way (25 hwy, 15 45mph roads).

So the car would work for me, just don't get caught out having to drive to the other side of the state! And yes, 80 mph is generally the slow lane on 295, with very little slow downs.

How are you seeing heating and A/C affecting range?

[mclark2112]

Originally Posted by jeffc42

They also compared range vs speed. Quoting the numbers for the Tesla M3P, it's 329 miles at 50mph, 276 at 60mph, 238 at 70mph, 207 at 80mph, 173 at 90mph, and 150 at 100mph. EPA is 310 miles.

Wow, that is exactly what I was looking for.

[spool twice]

So far, Car and Driver was able to coax out 83 eMPG (EPA rates it at 83 eMPG) on their i4 M50 with 20" wheel package, which is rated at 227 miles on the EPA cycle. Their driving was a combination of fast mountain road flogging, city, and highway driving within a 500 mile test cycle.

According to a few of their photo shots, temps were aroudn 57*F, so not ideal conditions either for best range.