What are the best charging and utility accessories for the BMW i4?

Question

I seriously need some advice on what charging and utility accessories I should get for my new i4 because the current setup is a complete disaster and I am about to lose my mind. I just got the car two weeks ago and honestly I love driving it but the actual ownership experience with the charging situation is making me regret the switch to electric just a little bit.

The flexible fast charger that came with the car is driving me crazy because it is so clunky and the cable is always tangling up on my garage floor which is a massive tripping hazard and looks like a total mess. Plus I keep getting these random charging interrupted notifications on my phone at 3 am and it is stressing me out so much because I need the car fully ready for my commute to the hospital in the morning. I am up in the Seattle area and with all the rain lately everything just gets muddy and gross in the trunk because there is no decent storage for the wet cables and they just slide around everywhere while I am driving.

I have about 1200 dollars set aside to fix this mess before I have to drive up to Vancouver for a family thing next weekend and I need stuff that actually fits the i4 specifically. I am looking for:

a reliable level 2 home wallbox or charger that wont flake out

some kind of trunk organizer or bag that actually fits in that side cubby area

all weather floor mats that dont smell like industrial rubber and actually fit the floor pins

maybe a screen protector for that massive curved display because I already see tiny scratches and it is giving me anxiety

Does anyone have a setup that actually works without being a total headache? I looked on Amazon but half the stuff says its for the 4 series gran coupe and then it doesnt fit the EV floor layout properly. I just want a clean garage and a car that actually charges when I plug it in. What are you guys using that doesnt suck? I am literally staring at a pile of tangled cables right now and I just want to go to sleep...

jfglxeeupl · Accepted Answer

Honestly, I went through the same exact headache when I first brought my i4 home. In my experience, those flexible chargers that come with the car are really just meant for emergency travel, not for a daily setup. If you want to stop those 3 am notifications, you need a dedicated unit. I have been using the ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV Charger for over a year and it hasnt failed once. It also has a much better cable management system so you wont be tripping over things in the garage anymore. For the floor, dont bother with generic mats from Amazon. They never fit the i4 floor pins properly because of the specific EV floor layout. I have tried many over the years and finally stuck with the BMW i4 All-Weather Floor Mats Front and Rear. They are odorless and they actually stay put. Since you are in Seattle, these are a must to keep the mud off the carpet. To fix that screen anxiety, I highly recommend the Spigen EZ FIT GLAS.tR Slim Screen Protector for BMW i4 Curved Display. It is basically foolproof to install and handles fingerprints way better than the factory glass. For the trunk mess, look for the BMW Genuine Trunk Organizer Foldable. It fits the side cubby perfectly and keeps your wet cables from sliding around and getting everything else gross. You can get all of this and still stay well under your 1200 budget.

yplvqifvzt · Answer

> the cable is always tangling up on my garage floor Just catching up on this. If you want simple and tough, the Grizzl-E Classic Level 2 EV Charger 40A NEMA 14-50 is basically a tank and wont give you those weird app errors since it isnt smart. For the floor, maybe consider the 3D MAXpider KAGU All-Weather Floor Mats for BMW i4. Theyre way more stylish than heavy rubber and actually lock into the pins. Make sure to double check the fitment for the i4 specifically tho.

iwphowhufv · Answer

tl;dr: Switch to a hardwired Wallbox Pulsar Plus 48A Level 2 EV Charger to stop those interruptions, get 3D MAXpider KAGU All-Weather Floor Mats for a scent-free fit, and use the Spigen Tempered Glass Screen Protector for BMW Curved Display for the glass. The charging interrupts you are seeing usually stem from thermal safety cutoffs. When the BMW mobile kit gets too warm at the plug, it throttles or stops the session. Moving to a dedicated Wallbox Pulsar Plus 48A Level 2 EV Charger is the play. If you have an electrician hardwire it, you eliminate the NEMA 14-50 plug as a point of failure, which is almost certainly why you are getting those 3 am notifications. It is a very compact unit that fits well in tight garage spaces. For the mats, the industrial rubber ones use cheap PVC that off-gasses for months. 3D MAXpider KAGU All-Weather Floor Mats for BMW i4 use a multi-layer XPE foam that is completely odorless. They have a textured surface that looks more like a high-end carpet than a truck mat, and they lock into the factory floor pins so they wont budge. To keep your trunk clean from wet cables, I actually recommend the BMW i4 Frunk Storage Box. It fits under the hood and is the perfect size for the charging cable. It keeps the mud and Seattle rain completely out of your main cargo area. For the screen, the Spigen Tempered Glass Screen Protector for BMW Curved Display is the only one that really matches the 14.9 inch curvature without lifting at the edges. It helps with glare too. Cost-wise, this setup should land right around your 1200 dollar budget excluding the charger install.