BMW i4 vs Fiat 500e: Specs Compared

Also searched as Fiat 500e vs BMW i4 specs — both orientations show this same side-by-side comparison.

The BMW i4 is the more efficient of the two: it reaches 120 mpg combined versus 116 mpg for the Fiat 500e, a 4 mpg advantage and costs about $0 less per year to fuel.

Across 3 measured categories, the BMW i4 leads in 2. Figures are EPA test data, not manufacturer claims.

2022–2026

BMW i4

Subcompact Cars · 33 configurations

120mpg combined (best)
All BMW i4 specs

2015–2026

Fiat 500e

Minicompact Cars · 11 configurations

116mpg combined (best)
All Fiat 500e specs

Head-to-head specifications

MetricBMW i4Fiat 500e
Best combined MPG120 mpg ✓116 mpg
Best city MPG122 mpg127 mpg ✓
Best highway MPG119 mpg ✓108 mpg
Lowest annual fuel costEPA estimate at 15,000 miles per year$650$650
Lowest CO2 outputNot availableNot available
Engines offeredNot availableNot available
TransmissionsAutomatic (A1)Automatic (A1)
DrivetrainsAll-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel DriveFront-Wheel Drive
Fuel typesElectricityElectricity
EPA classSubcompact CarsMinicompact Cars
Years covered2022–20262015–2026
Configurations on record3311

Source: EPA fuel economy records via fueleconomy.gov. Best-case values across all recorded configurations for each model.

BMW i4 vs Fiat 500e: what the numbers mean

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the BMW i4 burns about $650 of fuel annually against $650 for the Fiat 500e. That $0 yearly gap compounds to roughly $0 over five years and $0 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Fiat 500e is the stronger commuter at 127 mpg city, while the BMW i4 pulls ahead on the interstate at 119 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Drivetrain and class: the BMW i4 is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive, the Fiat 500e with Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Subcompact Cars and Minicompact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

i4 vs 500e: common questions

Which is better on gas, the BMW i4 or the Fiat 500e?

The BMW i4 is the more efficient of the two: it reaches 120 mpg combined versus 116 mpg for the Fiat 500e, a 4 mpg advantage and costs about $0 less per year to fuel.

Which costs less to run per year?

By EPA estimates at 15,000 miles a year, the Fiat 500e runs about $650 a year in fuel at its most efficient configuration, versus about $650 for the BMW i4 — a difference of roughly $0 per year.

What engines do the i4 and 500e offer?

BMW i4: no engine data on record. Fiat 500e: no engine data on record.

Are they in the same vehicle class?

The EPA classifies the BMW i4 as Subcompact Cars and the Fiat 500e as Minicompact Cars, so they aren't a like-for-like match on size.

More i4 comparisons

More 500e comparisons

Comparison id: bmw-i4-vs-fiat-500e