u/Queasy_Elderberry408

Just wanted to share my 10,000th kilometre in my i4. I bought it 2nd hand i4 eDrive 40 MSport Japanese imported to New Zealand, with 2707km on the 2nd of April 2026 and it just rolled into 10,004 tonight. My first Bimmer, my first EV, my first lease, my first time obsessed with a car. Loving it, and I suspect I will find it hard to part with at the end of the 3 year term. Let me know that I’m not alone in my infatuation.

6 July 2025 23.8kWh production with 10.92kW panels, PW3, Auckland, additional 18 panels 22 May 2026 so total now 19.74, power company accepts all export so long as no change in inverter 3rd July 2026 39.5kWh production, 80.7% more panels gave me 65.9% more productions case you ever wondered

TL;DR turned on Valet mode, then switched back and discovered software updated after locking

It’s been so frustrating that ever since the software was updated I was unable to access my BMW app to do the update despite trying to do reset. And then suddenly this afternoon when I had a meeting and switch the car into valet mode for parking to discover when I got back home the software had finally updated during that time maybe this is the way for those who still are having problems with updating the software.

2nd hand 2024 BMW i4 eDrive 40 G26 MSport Japanese Import to New Zealand owned since April 2026, total 9000km

I guess it was my 4th of July present.

2024 BMW i4 eDrive 40 G26 MSport Japanese imported to New Zealand with this worldwide Battery replacement warning, now trickle charging and will check in the morning if the warning still present.

2024 BMW i4 eDrive 40 G26 MSport Japanese imported to New Zealand with this worldwide Battery replacement warning, now trickle charging and will check in the morning if the warning still present.

Solar on Winter Soltice with 19.73kW array Auckland overcast 20kWh production. Set up with Powerwall 3 and BEV, sunset due at 5.33pm today, what’s your production like today?

Does it make sense, yeah nah

For flashy jack fruit as could not post picture on chat, 30min charge gave me enough till solar kicked in - Auckland NZ today

zpeers82919 asked this question, here is a photo log what I do. I find Netzero not worth the money as this works fine.

i4 eDrive 40 with 19inch long trip got 5.65km/kWh ie 3.51miles range 460km (280mile) last month computer say my city driving getting 6.3km/kWh 3.91mile ie 512km range (318miles)

Viofo A329S 4K arrived. The Type C outlet in the i4 does not power the $NZD800 camera and my Uniden R8 is hogging the cigarette lighter, any simple solution that does not involve getting a separate battery that a non handyman can handle to get this going!
I’m keen to get the parking mode going since the BMW Drive Recorder has been a monumental disappointment.
Loathed to spend more money than I have to after buying the Viofo.
Plugging into the mirror won’t give me the parking feature.
Suggestions please …
PS I’d prefer to post my positive experience since picking up my Japanese imported i4. I am based in Auckland.

TLDR:The i4 is an absolute blast and the perfect first EV for a newbie. A few quirks and gripes coming from it being a Japanese import, but no regrets! 🏎️⚡
Hey everyone, just wanted to share my thoughts after dipping my toes into the EV world for the very first time.
I dealt with Pearce Bros in Auckland and Driveline for the lease, and honestly, both made the whole process incredibly seamless.

Why the i4? 🤔
I wanted a tester EV to see if the lifestyle suited me. My ultimate goal is the upcoming BMW Neue Klasse (NK) range—I'm eyeing that 800V tech, the promised 800km WLTP range, and bidirectional charging. However, I never like buying the first production year of a new generation (gotta let them iron out the day-one bugs!). Plus, with the current i4 wrapping up production next year, my plan is to lease this, then jump into the NK i3 or an updated NK i4.

The Timeline: Ordered in Jan 2026, landed on April 2nd.
The Numbers: $NZD72,880 on a 3-year lease with a $NZD7,288 residual. It came with the remainder of the BMW servicing, the factory 8-year battery warranty, and purchased a 3-year mechanical warranty to cover the lease (which I now regret)

4,000 km Later: The Verdict 🚙💨
I absolutely love it. It is a pure pleasure to drive, and overtaking is an absolute breeze.
Here are the real-world stats from my recent Auckland to Wellington road trip:
Efficiency:Averaging 6.2 km/kWh on my trip computer since April (with a lot of highway driving).
Real-life Range: Realistically getting about 460 km on a full charge.
The Battery: 81.3 kWh usable.

Home Setup: Single-phase power at home, backed by a massive 19.74 kW solar panel setup and a Powerwall 3 with Gateway. A Wallbox Pulsar Plus was included in my purchase price, giving me a max home charge rate of 32A (6.6 kW).

The Gripes (The "Import Life" Tax) 😅
Because it's a Japanese import, it sports a Type 1 (J-1772) AC port and a CHAdeMO DC port. This brought a few quirks:
Home Charging Limits: If I charge at the full 32A, the household consumption needs to be under 4kW or I'll blow a fuse! I usually play it safe and limit home charging to 20A (3.9 kW). 🔌
The Plugs: Pearce Bros provided me a Type 2 to Type 1 adapter for home, and a standard 10A granny charger (1.7 kW).
The CHAdeMO Struggle: CHAdeMO is noticeably slower than CCS2. It’s highly frustrating when charging stations only have one CHAdeMO plug alongside a row of CCS2s. At a Z station, my max charge rate topped out at 74 kW (even though it's supposedly capable of 150 kW).
The Fix: I dropped $1,380 on a CCS2-to-CHAdeMO adapter from OEM Audio. AliExpress had them for $250, but I'll leave that gamble to braver souls than me! 🛑
Ground Clearance: The front grille sits so low I actually had to build a small concrete ramp just to get into my garage without cringing. 🛠️
App Lockout: I cannot connect to all the features on My BMW app because it is strictly region-locked to Japan. 📱❌

Key Lessons Learned 💡

1. Buy NZ New Next Time: Dealing with CHAdeMO is just too slow. Plus, I want true bidirectional ability in the future so I can use a vehicle's massive battery as a proper backup for my house. 🏡
2. Get a Radar Detector: This thing is deceptively fast. I picked up a Uniden R8, and it already saved me on the Desert Road by sniffing out a threat 3km in advance. 🕵️‍♂️
3. Budget for a Dashcam: The built-in BMW Drive Recorder functions are just too limited to rely on.
   Overall, despite the import quirks, it’s a phenomenal machine. Hope this helps anyone else on the fence about making the switch! Let me know if you have any questions. 👇

By making a “super off-peak” period as $0.01 for buy and sell, the PW3 will automatically charge during this period. That way I only partially charge the PW3 to 14% then by the time the sun’s up (Winter in NZ) then the PW3 is down to zero. No need for netzero subscription