How much does it cost to charge a BMW i4 at home?
A full home charge of the BMW i4 eDrive40 (2021-present) costs about £23.94 at the July 2026 Ofgem price cap (26.11p/kWh) — that is 6.6p per mile. The typical 20–80% top-up costs £14.37.
Prices based on the Ofgem price cap of 26.11 p/kWh, effective 1 July 2026.Source: Ofgem
Full charge
£23.94
at the Ofgem price cap
Running cost
6.6p /mile
at 4.5 mi/kWh incl. losses
20–80% on a 7 kW wallbox
6 hr 55 min
costing £14.37
Charging cost by tariff
| Tariff | Full charge | 20–80% | Per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofgem price cap26.11 p/kWh | £23.94 | £14.37 | 6.6p |
| Octopus Go off-peak (London example)8.63 p/kWh | £7.91 | £4.75 | 2.2p |
| Intelligent Octopus Go 12M Fixed off-peak (London example)8.00 p/kWh | £7.34 | £4.40 | 2.0p |
Costs include the ~12% energy lost during AC charging, so they reflect what your meter records. Off-peak rates assume all charging happens inside the cheap window; rates vary by region. These are comparisons of published rates, not tariff recommendations.
How the i4 compares on running cost
Pence per mile at the Ofgem price cap. Shorter is cheaper.
Charging time by charger type
| Charger | Speed for this car | 20–80% | Empty to full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three-pin plug (2.3 kW) | 2.3 kW | 21 hr 3 min | 35 hr 5 min |
| 3.6 kW wallbox | 3.6 kW | 13 hr 27 min | 22 hr 25 min |
| 7 kW wallbox | 7 kW | 6 hr 55 min | 11 hr 32 min |
| 22 kW three-phase | 11 kWlimited by the car | 4 hr 24 min | 7 hr 20 min |
Times are simple energy-needed ÷ power estimates. Real sessions can run a little longer, because charging slows as the battery approaches full.
What affects these numbers for the BMW i4
This car charges at up to 11 kW on AC
The BMW i4's onboard charger accepts at most 11 kW from an AC connection. A 22 kW three-phase cannot charge it any faster than that, so there is no benefit in paying for a more powerful home charger than the car can use.
A three-pin plug is a backup, not a plan
From a standard three-pin socket (2.3 kW), an empty-to-full charge of the 80.7 kWh battery takes about 35 hr 5 min. Fine for overnight top-ups, but impractical as your only way to charge.
More efficient than most EVs
At 4.5 miles per kWh, the BMW i4 goes further on each unit of electricity than the typical EV, which is why its pence-per-mile figure is low for its size.
Real-world figures vary
The 367-mile range is the official WLTP lab figure. Cold weather and motorway speeds reduce real-world efficiency, which raises cost per mile and lowers range. Treat these numbers as good estimates, not promises.
The 205 kW DC figure is not for home charging
DC rapid charging at up to 205 kW only happens at public rapid chargers. All home charging is AC, so it is the 11 kW AC limit that matters for the times on this page.
BMW i4 eDrive40— specifications used
- Usable battery
- 80.7 kWh
- WLTP range
- 367 miles
- Efficiency
- 4.5 mi/kWh
- Max AC charging
- 11 kW
- Max DC charging
- 205 kW
- Connector
- Type 2 / CCS
Data source: EV Database + BMW UK cross-check by Claude 2026-07-27: 83.9 kWh gross / 80.7 usable, 367 mi WLTP (BMW UK quote 333-371 depending on wheels), 11 kW AC, 205 kW DC