On measurements this is not close: the Model 3 goes 30 km further on a charge, uses 8 percent less energy doing it, reaches 100 km/h 1.2 seconds sooner and costs about £9,500 less in the UK. The i4 answers with a single-motor rear-drive chassis and an interior built to a different standard.
What actually differs
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD goes 30 km further on the observed real-world figure than the BMW i4 eDrive40.
- On the EPA highway cycle – the one that decides a long drive – Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD is rated 10 km further than the BMW i4 eDrive40.
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD is 9% more efficient than the BMW i4 eDrive40, which is what the electricity bill follows.
- BMW i4 eDrive40 carries 2 kWh more usable battery than the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD.
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD is 221 kg lighter than the BMW i4 eDrive40.
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD is 1 seconds quicker to 100 km/h than the BMW i4 eDrive40.
Every line above is computed from the table below, not written: a difference is only stated where both cars carry that figure from a named source.
| Specification | Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD Tesla | BMW i4 eDrive40 BMW |
|---|---|---|
| Market & identity | ||
| Curb weight | 4,187 lb | 4,674 lb |
| Battery | ||
| Cell chemistry LFP tolerates daily charging to 100% and is the most thermally stable; NMC and NCA pack more energy per kilogram. | NMC | NMC |
| Usable capacity The figure every range and cost calculation on this site is based on. | 79.0 kWh | 81.3 kWh |
| Thermal management Active liquid or direct-refrigerant cooling is the strongest single predictor of slow degradation and repeatable fast charging. | liquid-active | liquid-active |
| Pack voltage 800 V architectures hold high charging power for longer and waste less energy as heat. | — | 399 V |
| Capacity loss per year Rate for this vehicle class from published fleet datasets, not a measurement of this model and not a manufacturer claim. | 2.0% / year est | 2.0% / year est |
| Projected state of health at 8 years Modelled from the observed degradation rate at average annual mileage. An estimate, not a measurement. | 84% est | 84% est |
| Range & efficiency | ||
| EPA range US EPA combined cycle, the most conservative of the three official tests. | 346 mi | 333 mi |
| EPA range, city The city half of the EPA combined rating. Usually the higher of the two for an electric car. | 360 mi | 341 mi |
| EPA range, highway The highway half of the EPA combined rating, and the figure to plan a long drive around. | 329 mi | 323 mi |
| WLTP range European combined cycle, typically 15 to 25 percent more optimistic than EPA for the same car. | 445 mi | 381 mi |
| Observed real-world range Mixed-conditions figure from independent testing. This is the number that matters on a road trip. | 345 mi | 326 mi |
| EPA consumption | 26.4 kWh/100 mi | 28.5 kWh/100 mi |
| Real-world consumption | 229 Wh/mi | 249 Wh/mi |
| Charging | ||
| Peak DC power Held briefly, often only inside a narrow state-of-charge window. | 250 kW | 205 kW |
| 10 to 80 percent DC charge time The honest measure of fast-charging speed. | 28 min | 28 min |
| AC onboard charger Sets how fast the car fills up overnight at home. | 11 kW | 11 kW |
| DC connector (Europe) | CCS2 | CCS2 |
| DC connector (US) The plug fitted to the car as sold in the United States. Blank where we have not sourced it for that market. | NACS | — |
| Performance | ||
| Peak power | 366 kW | 250 kW |
| 0-60 mph | — | — |
| 0-100 km/h | 4.4 s | 5.6 s |
| Cost of ownership | ||
| Base MSRP (US) | — | $57,900 |
| Base price (EU) | €50,990 | €60,600 |
| Est. out-of-warranty pack replacement (US) | — | $13,400 est |
| Battery warranty | 8 yr | 8 yr |
| Est. 5-year residual value | — | — |
| Safety & risk | ||
| NHTSA overall rating | 5/5 | — |
| Euro NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | — |
| Battery or high-voltage recalls | 5 | 7 |
| Battery safety score | ||
| Composite score Our own composite of thermal management, cell chemistry, crash rating and recall record. Formula | 6.5 / 10 | 5.3 / 10 |
highlighted marks the better figure for that row. Where a car is not sold in a market, its price and official range for that market are blank rather than converted. est marks a modelled value, explained on the methodology page.
Range and efficiency
555 km observed against 525 km. The i4 carries the larger pack — 81.3 kWh usable against 79 — and still falls short, because it uses 155 Wh/km against the Model 3’s 142. That is the pattern across this whole site: efficiency beats capacity.
On official cycles the two are closer than the observed figures suggest: 716 km WLTP against 613, but 346 miles EPA against 333. The EPA cycle is harsher and more representative of motorway driving, and it flatters the i4 relatively.
Charging: identical, and both mid-pack
28 minutes from 10 to 80 percent for both. The Model 3 peaks at 250 kW and the i4 at 205 kW, and it makes no difference to the window that counts. Both are 400-volt cars and both are comfortably beaten by the 800-volt Korean saloons, which do the same job in seventeen minutes.
Performance
366 kW and 493 Nm through both axles against 250 kW and 430 Nm to the rear only. 4.4 seconds against 5.6. The Model 3 is quicker in a straight line by a margin no amount of chassis tuning closes.
The i4’s answer is that it drives only the rear wheels, which some drivers prefer regardless of the stopwatch. That is a genuine preference and not something this site can measure.
Price and safety data
£49,990 against £59,465 in the UK; €50,990 against €60,600 in Germany. The Model 3 is roughly £9,500 or €9,600 cheaper in both markets, which is unusual — the two rarely agree.
One asymmetry worth stating plainly: the Model 3 holds five stars from NHTSA and five from Euro NCAP. We have no NHTSA overall rating for the i4 and no Euro NCAP overall rating in our record, so those fields are blank on its page rather than filled with a neighbouring model’s result. Blank means we could not source it, not that the car did badly.
Which one should you buy
Buy the Model 3 if the numbers decide it: more range, less energy per kilometre, much quicker, and materially cheaper in both markets.
Buy the i4 if the way a car feels and the material it is made from are worth ten thousand pounds to you. That is a legitimate answer, and this site has no measurement that captures it.
Frequently asked questions
Which has more real range, the Model 3 or the i4?
The Model 3, at about 555 km observed against 525 km, despite carrying a slightly smaller battery. Its 142 Wh/km against the i4’s 155 is the reason.
Do they charge at the same speed?
Yes — 28 minutes from 10 to 80 percent for both, despite the Model 3’s higher 250 kW peak against the i4’s 205 kW. Peak power on its own tells you very little.
Why is the i4’s safety rating blank?
Because we could not source an overall star rating for it from either NHTSA or Euro NCAP. This site leaves a field empty rather than substituting a related model’s score. It is not a statement about the car’s safety.
Where these numbers come from
Each figure is credited on the Model 3 and i4 eDrive40 pages, with the source and the date it was read.