An i4 – if you don’t go for an M50 and choose the right options – is hardly less economical than any Tesla. And less expensive in lease (or even privately) than you would think than, for example, a model 3 longe range (which is the comparable model):
– a Tesla model 3 Long Range costs (in Belgium) at least €55,000 (including “delivery costs”);
– a BMW i4 costs list price €64,200, but with the discounts of up to 15% that BMW gives on some business purchases, that is only… €55,000. For that price you have a car that can be almost as economical and is simply a class better in terms of finish and general driving comfort and that retains its value better.
And there are more and more competitors keeping up with Tesla. Take the Hyundai Ioniq 6 for example, which is better finished, is not inferior in efficiency to a Tesla, and charges faster. There are more and more nice cars in the price range under 40,000 and even 30,000 euros (including from Renault and Citroen, Peugeot). Not everyone is charmed by the bare Tesla, with its focus on software.
Mind you, they remain very nice EVs, and they are indeed still the benchmark, but there will be more and more manufacturers that perform as well or better than the benchmark.
