BMW i4 eDrive40 and M50 EV charger: which one suits you best?

The BMW i4 charges at a maximum of 11 kW at home. That holds for the rear-wheel-drive eDrive40 and for the quicker M50 with all-wheel drive alike. Both share the same 81.3 kWh usable battery and the same Type 2 connection. The choice between them changes nothing about your charger. Want to see the whole i4 line-up? Our overview page gathers all BMW i4 EV charger information.

For the BMW i4 eDrive40 and M50 we recommend a charger from our 11 kW EV chargers.

Charging specifications of the BMW i4 eDrive40 and M50

Which EV charger suits the BMW i4 eDrive40 and M50?

At home the i4 takes 11 kW at most, over a three-phase connection of three times 16 amps. A heavier 22 kW unit will not charge it any faster, because the car sets the ceiling. An 11 kW charger is exactly what the i4 asks for, and paying for 22 kW buys you nothing on this model.

Three features are worth thinking about. A built-in MID meter is a certified kilowatt-hour meter inside the charger. It records what the car took, separately from the rest of the house. That tells you exactly what charging the car costs, apart from the rest of your electricity bill. Our EV chargers with a MID meter include 11 kW models.

Second, dynamic load balancing: the charger reads what the rest of the house is using and eases off when the demand climbs. An i4 sits on the charger for the better part of a night, so the odds of a clash are real. You will find it among our EV chargers with dynamic load balancing.

Third, app control, which lets you push the session into the cheapest hours. You will find that among our EV chargers with an app.

Our home EV chargers bring together the models meant for a driveway or garage. We arrange installation in the Netherlands, Flemish Belgium and Germany. In Germany that runs through a free quote rather than an order. We ship worldwide, but the installation service stops at those three countries, so elsewhere you bring in your own electrician. Have a qualified one connect the charger wherever you live: it is safer and your insurer will ask.

How long do the BMW i4 eDrive40 and M50 take to charge?

An 11 kW charger takes the i4 from nearly empty to full in about 7.5 hours. The arithmetic: 81.3 kWh divided by 11 kW lands just over 7 hours. Plug in during the evening and the car is ready in the morning without any planning on your part. Only a single-phase connection at home? The i4 then charges at 3.7 kW on 16 amps and 7.4 kW on 32 amps, so a full charge runs well past a day. For daily driving a three-phase connection with an 11 kW charger is the sensible route.

The i4 uses a Type 2 connection, so a fixed charger needs no loose cable. For charging on the road or at someone else's home, a Type 2 charging cable comes in handy.

Other versions of the BMW i4

Wallbox Discounter also has charging information for the other versions of the BMW i4:

• BMW i4 xDrive40 - all-wheel drive, its own model page
• BMW i4 eDrive35 - entry version with the smaller battery

Frequently asked questions

Do the BMW i4 eDrive40 and M50 charge at the same speed at home?

Yes. Both carry an 11 kW onboard charger and the same 81.3 kWh usable battery. On a charger at home they fill at the same rate, in roughly 7.5 hours. The two differ in power and range on the road, not in charging speed.

Does the BMW i4 need a three-phase connection?

You do need one to reach the full 11 kW. Three-phase means your consumer unit supplies three current phases at once. Single-phase the i4 tops out at 3.7 kW on a 16 amp connection and 7.4 kW on a 32 amp one, whichever charger you pick.

Why does a MID meter matter for the BMW i4?

A MID meter is a certified kilowatt-hour meter that records exactly how much electricity you charge. It separates the car from everything else in the house. That way you can see what driving on electricity really costs you, month by month.