BMW i5

New BMW 5-Series: for the first time as mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV

156 km charged in 10 min
ICE, PHEV and EV available
Elegant and classic shape

BMW presents the eighth generation of its iconic 5-Series. Interestingly, it will also be available as a fully electric vehicle right from the start.

Many company car drivers have anticipated the arrival of the new 5-Series. For the first time in the large premium saloon’s career, it will offer a choice of ICE, PHEV and EV models when it arrives in showrooms throughout Europe in October. The all-electric “i5" will come with one or two electric motors. In early 2024, estate car aficionados can order the Touring derivative of BMW’s executive vehicle.

Classic beauty

BMW did not opt for controversy with the new 5-Series. The proportions are quite classic, while the front end looks less extravagant than that of other recent creations by the Bavarian designers. The kidney grill grew a size, without however becoming a caricature of itself, like in the 7-Series.

The new 5 exudes elegance, with its elongated shape and impressive bonnet. It is almost ten centimetres longer than its predecessor and, at 5.06 metres, is virtually the same length as the previous 7-Series. It is also 3 centimetres wider (1.90 metres) and rests on a wheelbase stretched by two centimetres to an impressive 2.995 metres. Interior space promises to be generous indeed.

Electric with 340 or 601 hp

The all-electric i5 comes as an M60 xDrive top model with a maximum output of no less than 442 kW or 601 hp courtesy of two electric motors and all-wheel drive. Add tractor-worthy torque of 820 Nm and it is obvious that the accelerations are breath-taking – just 3.8 seconds suffice to reach 100 km/h from a standstill. In ideal conditions, the i5 M60 xDrive should be able to drive 455 to 516 kilometres on a single battery charge.

More affordable and undoubtedly a lot more interesting for the B2B market is the i5 eDrive40. It has a single electric motor on the rear axle providing 250 kW (340 hp) and up to 430 Nm of torque. Six seconds flat for the benchmark sprint is far from slow. The driving range of the i5 eDrive40 is 477 to 582 kilometres according to the WLTP standard.

Both electric versions can be charged with three-phase alternating current as standard at 11 and optionally at 22 kW; with direct current, it can be charged at 205 kW, allowing up to 156 kilometres of power to be "refuelled" in ten minutes.

Also two plug-ins

Besides the classic 520i and 520d and 520d xDrive, with mild hybrid four-cylinder petrol or diesel engines, the 5-Series will also come in two plug-in-hybrid versions, the 530e and the 550e xDrive, from early 2024.

The 530e uses a two-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to achieve a system output of 299 hp. Its upgraded battery promises an electric range of up to 102 kilometres. The 550e xDrive boasts a three-litre six-cylinder in-line and an even more powerful electric motor with a system output of as much as 489 hp. Its electric range still amounts to 90 kilometres (WLTP).