Usual EV tester Bjørn Nyland is back behind the wheel of the BMW i4 M50. But this time with a twist. Nyland decided to drive the high-performance i4 until its battery will reach 0% charge. Of course, that experiment delivers some interesting findings. For example, the BMW i4 M50i puts out a low level battery warning once it reaches 9 percent charge. At that point, the driver was presented with the option of finding a charging station.
How much electric range at 0% charge?
But Nyland decided to keep driving. The electric range at 9 percent battery charge was clocked in at around 22 miles (35 km). Another interesting find is the reduction of power once the i4 M50 reached 12 percent. So he was still able to use the fun Boost mode. Next step on his journey comes in at 5 percent charge. The warning message on iDrive 8 is even more prominent on the screen. Over the next few miles, the BMW i4 M50 dropped to 2 percent charge which brought forward a power limit to 75 percent of the total output. The odometer still shows 6 miles (10 km).
With a mile of driving range, the computer shows a 1 percent battery charge with power hovering between 40 and 50 percent. But range anxiety is not part of his test today, so Nyland pushes forward until he reached a 0 percent charging state. Any normal driver would sweat by now, but Nyland stays composed, resets the trip computer and pushes forward. What he found out next is that the i4 entered a coasting mode with limited power to accelerate.
So despite showing a 0 percent charge, the i4 M50 was able to travel another 12.5 miles (around 20 km). But of course, this finding should come with a warning. Based on a serious of factors, including but not limited to the outside temperature and terrain, the i4’s mileage on a 0 percent charge will vary. It’s also quite dangerous to travel at low speeds on public roads, so this experiment is not something anyone should replicate.
EPA Rating – 270 miles
Furthermore, fully depleting the battery is not advisable long term. Li-ion batteries are known to keep a small charge even when the indicator shows 0 percent, as a way to conserve the battery’s longevity. The BMW i4 M50 is rated on the EPA range at 270 miles when equipped with 19-inch wheels and 227 miles when equipped with 20-inch wheels. But independent tests found that the i4 M50 can deliver an even better electric range. Let’s take a look at the video below.
