[VIDEO] A Full review of the 2022 BMW i4 M50

Since its launch, Tesla’s Model 3 Performance has been the fast electric go-to vehicle. However, it is not the fastest electric car on the market; Tesla’s Model S Plaid, the Audi RS e-Tron GT and the Porsche Taycan Turbo are all faster; but it has always been the fastest cheap electric car. The recently launched BMW i4 M50, on the other hand, is just as fast and perhaps even a better deal.

In terms of performance, the two vehicles are roughly comparable. According to Car and Driver’s instrumented tests, the Tesla Model 3 Performance accelerates to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. On the other side, the BMW i4 M50 takes 3.3 seconds. So the Model 3 is slightly quicker, probably due to its lighter weight, but those two-tenths are barely noticeable on the dyno. There is no denying that both cars are very fast.

Overall, the BMW i4 M50 offers more. Sure, the Model 3 has about 100 miles more range, which is not negligible, but the i4 M50 has about 220 miles of real-world range (as opposed to the Tesla’s 310 or so miles). The range of the i4 M50 is sufficient as most users charge at home. However, the i4 M50 is more practical because of its hatchback boot. It rides better, has a higher ride quality, more interior comfort, much better build quality/reliability and a far better dealer/service network.

For most electric car buyers, range and economy come first, so they’ll probably stick with Tesla. And if those are the most important factors for you, the Model 3 is superior to the i4 M50. However, if you look at the Bimmer’s other features, such as comfort, quality, reliability and ease, the BMW i4 M50 might be the better value. Is it the best value on the market if it is better than the Model 3 Performance?