BMW i4 eDrive40 vs. Test Polestar 2 LRSM im

In early 1969, BMW pulled the four-cylinder engines from the two 1602s, gave the cars electric drives and made them appear as support and event cars at the Olympic Games in Munich three years later. And today in the i4? It’s basically the same thing, only with lithium-ion instead of lead batteries, and an axially parallel synchronous machine instead of a motor mounted for a long time in the transmission tunnel and with a range of up to 590 km according to WLTP instead of 60. put it this way : It was no coincidence that 1602 was an electric walking race and not a 100 km team trial for cyclists.

And Polestar? The North Star logo raises the prospect of a completely independent product. But why does the Polestar have a central tunnel in the interior and, with its slightly increased clearance, it looks as if the body of the sedan is placed on a crossover chassis? Well, because it is. The CMA platform is not only the basis for the Polestar 2, but also for the Volvo XC40. At the same time, the facelift was changed from front to rear engine. Permanently excited synchronous machines are new and battery capacity and range are higher.

If you now press the power pedal, something moves. Instead of 170, 220 kW now act on the axle of the car. Even better: with rear-wheel drive, handling becomes even more enjoyable. When the load changes slightly and leans, the Polestar tends to oversteer on cold tires. ESP Sport mode allows for small yaw angles before a proper intervention is made. Other settings options related to driving dynamics? Only two modes of operation – done.

It’s a steering that needs a good job because of its uneven revving torque and a numb, feedback-less feel. On the test track, the 2 Series performs well in terms of longitudinal and lateral dynamics and the Contis summer. Efficiency and range are also relevant.

Polestar only seems to have stopped at 1602 when it comes to noise insulation: 72 dB (A) at 130 km / h corresponds to the level of small three-cylinder cars. The chassis of the company also contributes to this, as it communicates every point soundly, but still has a sufficient amount of suspension – although only from 80 km / h. In the city humps on short heels.

Modern Talking and Touching

The driver assistance system has problems recognizing the lane ahead, which often results in braking on highway curves due to trucks in the right lane. Traffic sign recognition is unreliable. The adaptive cruise control works for this, and if the cruise control bothers you, you can switch to regular cruise control in the help menu.

Menu: the operative word. Apart from the steering wheel buttons and volume control, there are no haptic controls. Others, such as air conditioning and driver assistance, are on the menu. Positives: clean design, large, clear symbols and usable volume control. In the list of settings, however, it is quite detailed and, to make matters worse, it is not complete. Certain settings must be made in separate menus and programs. Example: Polestar shows old range functions based on WLTP only. To change, you have to open the “Range Assistant” app and then change to the actual range in the options menu there. Navigation is done using Google Maps, including charging route planning. When you have electricity, YouTube or Amazon Prime keeps you entertained.

The next row back you squeeze through small doors into a space with a few newsrooms. Also compact: stem. And of course frosted exterior mirrors are beautiful, but anyone who drives in the rain or salt spray knows why mirror lenses are usually on the house. The rear view camera, which is very important because of the poor clarity, does not change at all in the dark.

Love and tranquility

Many things are clear in the BMW i4, not only the view of the camera at night. The steering, for example, is still dull and numb around mid-position, but when it does it’s pleasing with enough precision and useful feedback. Overall, the i4 runs very well. Its weight of just over 2.1 tonnes means it has better suspension than any other mid-range BMW. The strong core message of the M adaptive chassis and the great body control remains, the response is gentle and sensitive, the quick release from the bumps is new.

Noise comfort is on a different level than the Polestar 2. At 66 dB (A) at 130 km / h, it is only one dB (A) behind the Mercedes EQS. The i4 dampens chassis noise well, and even when it comes to handling, the trademark keen cornering is cleverly designed to work around the high weight. The forward, backward thrust follows or plays out of line in response to stimuli through load changes or, well, electric shocks. About 55 percent of the total mass rests on the rear axle. On the experimental track they live, sometimes a lot.

BMW wags its tail at the best of times. However, it is enough to beat Polestar in all powerful disciplines. With M Sport heated brakes, – again: 2.1 tons – the i4 stops after just 31.8 meters. Thanks to the well-utilized sports ESP, its rear-wheel drive nature can also be found on the road. Indeed, when it comes to sharp steering and quick changes of direction, it takes a tenth more than a regular 4 Series – inertia is a blessing.

Unlike Polestar, BMW uses a synchronous current excitation motor. It does not require any rare earths because it does not require a permanent magnet. Unusually for electric cars, it feels almost as powerful on the freeway as it does when accelerating on the freeway. Because: With variable-excitation motors, the torque does not drop as much at high speeds. In addition to traffic sign recognition, which is also unconvincing, the BMW i4 eDrive40 confidently maintains its distance and lane in assisted driving mode.

When it comes to efficiency, both are on the level; when driven carefully, the BMW has a slight advantage over the equally efficient Polestar 2 LRSM Unfortunately, the i4’s 80.7 kWh battery contributes 550 kg to the total weight. The 360 ​​kg battery pack of the 1602 Elektro could or had to be replaced to save unlimited charging times. Finally, lead batteries had a capacity of 12.6 kWh.

With the BMW i4, half an hour is enough, you just have to do without video streaming. There is time to look at the interior, which reaches the highest level of BMW in terms of ergonomics and quality, apart from the folding doors. The new OS 8.5 operating system improves operation because it has a central home button and direct access. In addition, the rotary button can now control the weather menu again. I4 organizes payment methods reliably and quickly.

Advanced intelligence is especially evident in the great control of voice and the recognition of habits. This function opens windows at garage entrances you drive by frequently or warns you about traffic interruptions every morning when you take the same route to work every time, even if the navigation system is not activated.

But the nature of the combustion engine of the i4 can also be seen in its small space. The rear is easier to get into than the Polestar’s, but the seating position is more angular and headroom is also limited. At least BMW is more open. Apart from its body-related disadvantages, the i4 appears to be as complete and fully developed as any of the cell phone startups or newcomers to the Chinese market that are hailed as saviors would like to be. It transports the sporty middle class, which previously started with the Neue Klasse and 02, to the existing electric car – even before the new Neue Klasse arrives.

His only problem? It is the most expensive in the segment. The only way to highlight its price and extras is that it doesn’t need the more powerful, underpowered and inefficient i4 M50 for its entertaining driving dynamics. Despite its Chinese origin, Polestar is not cheap. It requires the Plus package (4,800 euros), otherwise there is no heat pump on board (standard in BMW). None of these are support vehicles for e-mobility. They drive forward.