BMW 420d Convertible G22 vs BMW i3s I01: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the i3s hits 100 km/h in 6.81 s versus 7.75 s for the 420d Convertible. The instant torque of 270 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. The 0.94 s gap is negligible: both vehicles are neck and neck.

At 200 metres, the i3s is doing 124 km/h against 116 km/h for the 420d Convertible. The gap is 0.23 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the i3s crosses the line in 15.05 s versus 15.64 s. The 0.60 s gap represents roughly 23 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The i3s maxes out at 160 km/h while the 420d Convertible keeps accelerating towards 236 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap is down to 0.77 s from 0.60 s at 400 metres.

At 1,000 metres, the i3s finishes in 28.59 s versus 28.69 s, with just 0.10 s to spare. The 420d Convertible fails to fully close the launch gap.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the 420d Convertible is capped at 236 km/h, the i3s at 160 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 12.82 seconds. The 0.94 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.