BMW is all set to introduce its first all-electric 5 Series, the i5. It will be the most radical update in its history. The car was under testing, but now the company has confirmed that it will be provided as an estate.
As per the information BMW gave, it will be revealed in early 2023. The sedan will have tough competition with theMercedes EQE and Tesla Model S. According to the budget, the car will be in competition with the premiumPorsche Taycan Sport Turismo, which is the only electric estate on sale.
The i5 estate won't stand out much from the combustion-engined 5 Series Touring, as we've seen with the sedan before. The blanked-off grille and the placards that read "electrified vehicle" give away the powerplant of this test vehicle.
Even though this test car still has a lot of cladding, we can already identify some important design elements. There will be a single headlight cluster instead of a twin configuration like on the new 7 Series and iX feature, and the kidney grilles will be slightly more restrained than those found on the i4 model.
Along the side of the car, we can notice new seven-spoke alloy wheels and recessed door handles that help reduce aerodynamic drag. The location of BMW's iconic "Hofmeister kink" design feature is covered by a plate on the rear pillar. The charging flap will be located on the rear three-quarter panel of the driver's side, just like the i4. The estate has the identical rear lights as the saloon, with the exception of the estate's added mass at the back.
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The i5 will offer similar modular CLAR underpinnings as the present combustion-engined 5 Series. As a result, the i5 will most likely offer the same range of all-electric powertrains as the i4, which also uses the same CLAR platform. As per the information given, the upcoming 5 Series, codenamed G60, is going to be one of BMW’s final new models before it launches its Neue Klasse-generation vehicles that start to roll out in 2025 and that will be replacements for the 3 Series and theX5 SUV.
An entry-level i5 eDrive40 with a single rear-mounted motor and an 80.7kWh battery should be available. It should have about 335 horsepower and 430 Nm of torque. Additionally, an M50 model with about 469 horsepower and 730 Nm of torque is likely. The i4 has a boost mode on the more potent model that increases the output to 537 horsepower and 795 Nm of torque for ten seconds; this feature may transfer over.
Over and above that, an M60 model that competes with the M5 might use the iX M60's drivetrain. This would consist of two electric motors, each delivering 611 horsepower and 1,100 Nm of torque, plus a 105kWh battery. This power enables the iX to reach 62 mph in 3.8 seconds. Since the i5 will be carrying far less weight, we anticipate a sprint time closer to three seconds.
Despite its bigger size, the i5's range could be close to that of the i4, which has a maximum range of 365 miles, depending on the advancements in battery efficiency BMW has made since the i4's launch.
The i5 should at least offer this charging speed since the upcoming iX from BMW is capable of 195kW rapid charging. This could imply that it will recharge its battery by 10 to 80% in just 39 minutes. The i5 should be equipped with an 11kWh onboard charger, just as BMW's other electric vehicles.
The BMW Group has already announced the launch of 25 new electrified models across its portfolio of brands, with about half of those vehicles forgoing internal combustion engines. The new electric i7 joined the premium 7 Series saloon earlier this year, and the iX1 joined the X1 as well.
