bmw i5

BMW, the renowned automobile manufacturer, has announced the development of its latest electric vehicle, the BMW i5. The CEO of BMW, Harald Kruger, confirmed the news in a recent interview and stated that the i5 will be a crossover sedan with design elements borrowed from the i3 and i5 models. The electric 5-Series, also known as the i5, was confirmed last summer and is expected to debut alongside the new 8th generation 5-Series in 2023. This new model is anticipated to hit dealership showrooms in 2024.

In recent sightings, the i5 prototype has been spotted with a sealed off grille and "Electric Test Vehicle" stickers indicating that it will be fully electric. Though the exact specifications of the i5 are yet to be revealed, the 4-Series-based i4, set to go on sale in early 2022, may provide some insight. The i4, to be available in the United States, will come with 335 horsepower, rear-wheel drive and a range of 300 miles in its base form, the i4 eDrive40. A sportier version, the i4 M50, will be available with 536 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a range of 245 miles. The battery in both cases is an 83.9-kilowatt-hour unit, but the i5 may come with more kWh due to its larger size and weight.

The i5 is expected to expand BMW's electric vehicle offering in the market, thanks to its more traditional look and more affordable pricing compared to the i7. Previous reports and sightings suggest that various versions of the i5 such as eDrive40, xDrive40, M50, and M60 will be offered for sale, with outputs ranging from 335 horsepower to above 600 horsepower. The i5 will also face competition from other luxury electric vehicles from Mercedes and Audi. We can expect further details and teasers to surface before the i5's official introduction.