BMW i4 Surges Into Top 10 EV Sales in Q2 2025, But Nearly 90% Are Leased

The electrical car market continues to shift quickly in 2025, with leasing tendencies and shifting incentives enjoying as a lot of a task in purchaser habits because the vehicles themselves. Whereas Tesla nonetheless dominates total EV gross sales, new knowledge from Experian highlights an attention-grabbing story creating across the BMW i4. As soon as absent from the highest 10, the i4 climbed into sixth place in Q2 2025. Extra exceptional is not only what number of i4s are discovering driveways, however how persons are entering into them.

i4 Purchases in Q2 2025 At a Look

In line with knowledge printed by Experian, the BMW i4 was the sixth most-sold EV in Q2 2025. The i4 total represented 2.44% of all EV purchases. Whereas nobody stood an opportunity in opposition to Tesla — the Mannequin Y and Mannequin 3 nonetheless reigned supreme at 24.02% and 18.45% of the market share, respectively — it was a better race between the gamers remaining on the sector. The Chevy Equinox EV represented 4.78% of the EVs bought in Q2, whereas the Hyundai IONIQ 5 took residence 3.57%. The Mustang Mach-E simply barely outsold the i4 with 2.68% of the phase. For reference, all three non-BMWs fell from final quarter, whereas the i4 wasn’t even within the high 10 final quarter.

Way more attention-grabbing is how persons are shopping for their EVs — significantly the i4. Individuals taking residence a BMW i4 nearly solely lease, with 88.63% of consumers selecting to take action. The second highest within the high 10 is the Honda Prologue with an 83.83% lease fee. In comparison with the highest sellers, there’s much more disparity. Over 70% of consumers taking residence a Tesla Model Y are financing or paying money — simply 29.79% are leasing. Round 58% of consumers select lease a Mannequin 3. The Mustang and Equinox EVs are nearer to 60% lease fee whereas 65% of IONIQ 5 clients choose to lease. Curiously, the Hyundai additionally has the very best variety of consumers paying money — 21.26% of IONIQ 5 consumers achieve this.

Wilder nonetheless is that, regardless of the BMW i4’s extraordinarily excessive lease take charges, it’s actually a drop within the bucket. The Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y collectively symbolize 30.97% of all EV leases originating throughout Q2 2025. The BMW? Simply 3.76%. It paints an actual image of simply how a lot quantity Tesla strikes in comparison with BMW’s EV choices.

BMW i4 Lease or Mortgage: What’s the Actual Distinction?

Final quarter, the typical distinction between a lease and mortgage fee throughout all EVs was $175. It stays precisely the identical in Q2. And, certainly, the BMW i4 itself doesn’t buck any tendencies. In Q2, the typical lease fee was $672 per 30 days for a brand new BMW i4, whereas the typical mortgage fee hovered round $855 per 30 days. That’s a $183 distinction. Final quarter there was a $182 distinction. The common lease value $684 per 30 days and the typical mortgage was $866 per 30 days.

Whereas i4 gross sales perked up relative to the remainder of the phase, EVs total took a downturn in Q2. The market share of EVs dipped to eight.34%, down from 9.83% in Q1 2025. Curiously, hybrids get pleasure from an uptick to almost 15% of the market share. We predict the lease charges on the i4 are excessive for just a few causes: first, it’s one of many dearer choices. Secondly, and far more importantly, leasing is the one technique to nonetheless get pleasure from a $7,500 tax credit score. Not less than, for now. Will probably be attention-grabbing to see what Q3 brings for the BMW i4 because the US EV market continues its shakeup.

Supply: Experian