10 Things You Need to Know About the New BMW i5

513 Views 10 Replies 5 Participants Last post by lawson.graeme, 5 d ago

EstateHopeful

Discussion Starter · 12 d ago

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The BMW i5 is finally here and after a long wait, the company has graciously provided a ton of technical details and photos for us to pour over. This is a major development for BMW as it plots its course away from combustion engines and towards as fully EV lineup, and it knows its got to get this right to fend off competition from the Mercedes-Benz EQE and the upcoming electric Audi A6, not to mention the 1,020-hp gorilla, Tesla's Model S (in Plaid form).

So with all that in mind, and thanks to @ElectricBeemer for sharing the press kit, here's what I thought were the 10 most important data points to understand when looking at the new BMW i5:

All-Electric Drive: The BMW i5 marks the first time the world's most successful business sedan, the BMW 5 Series, is offered with all-electric drive. It is part of the brand's commitment to sustainable premium mobility and embraces the ongoing transformation of the BMW Group.
Impressive Design: The new BMW i5 boasts a sporty elegance and striking presence. With its clear and reduced design language, the sedan has grown in length, width, and height compared to its predecessor, resulting in a more dynamic appearance. It features a modern interpretation of twin headlights, a wide BMW kidney grille, and a powerful rear end with expressive rear lights.
Enhanced Interior: The interior of the BMW i5 offers generous space, modern functionality, and high-quality materials. The cockpit features a significantly reduced number of buttons, thanks to digitalization, and includes the BMW Curved Display with a 12.3-inch Information Display and a 14.9-inch Control Display. The redesigned steering wheel and optional BMW Interaction Bar further enhance the intuitive and user-friendly experience.
Fully Vegan Interior: The BMW i5 sets a new standard by being the brand's first model with a fully vegan interior as standard. Surfaces of the seats, dashboard, door panels, and even the steering wheel are made from vegan materials. Optional equipment includes BMW Individual Merino leather upholstery.
Powerful Electric Drive: The all-electric BMW i5 comes in two variants. The BMW i5 M60 xDrive combines a powerful up to 442 kW (601 hp) drive with M performance and specific design features. It achieves an acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.8 seconds. The BMW i5 eDrive40 features a rear-wheel drive and generates a maximum output of 250 kW (340 hp), accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.0 seconds.
Long Electric Range: The BMW i5 is equipped with a space-saving high-voltage battery located in the underbody, providing a usable energy content of 81.2 kWh. The range of the BMW i5 M60 xDrive is estimated to be 455 - 516 kilometers (282 - 320 miles) according to WLTP, while the BMW i5 eDrive40 offers a range of 497 - 582 kilometers (309 - 361 miles).
Advanced Charging Solutions: The BMW i5 features innovative eCharging solutions, including AC charging with an output of up to 11 kW or optional 22 kW, and DC charging with a power of up to 205 kW. The battery charge level can be raised from 10 to 80 percent in around 30 minutes. BMW Charging also offers Connected Home Charging, which allows for solar and load-optimized charging, as well as bidirectional charging in future generations of vehicles.
Petrol and Diesel Options: Alongside the all-electric variants, the BMW i5 will be available with petrol and diesel engines. These engines feature 48-volt mild hybrid technology and come with a new 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. The market-specific selection includes four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, with additional plug-in hybrid options coming in spring 2024.
Enhanced Driving Experience: The BMW 5 Series Sedan combines driving dynamics with travel comfort. It offers a balanced combination of sportiness and long-distance comfort, with intelligent lightweight construction and advanced chassis technology. The range includes various suspension options, such as M Sport suspension and Adaptive Suspension Professional, providing a customizable driving experience.
Innovative Technology: The BMW i5 is equipped with a range of innovative technologies for partially automated driving and parking. The optional Driving Assistant Professional includes features such as Steering and Lane Control Assist and Distance Control with Stop & Go function. It also introduces the Active Lane Change Assistant, allowing for automated lane changes with confirmation through the exterior mirror. The BMW i5 also features the enhanced BMW iDrive system with "QuickSelect" and BMW Operating System 8.5, offering intuitive operation and a wide range of digital experiences.

I'd love to hear any feedback on points you would have included that I might have skipped over.

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ChargedUp

· #2 · 12 d ago

Great to see that the WLTP range peaks out not far off from the Lucid Air

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anthonye

· #3 · 12 d ago

In the excitment so soon after launch, is there perhaps a muddle with the prices ?

UK base price of £74,000 is more than £20,000 above the US price; I'll be intersted to see what the UK sales are like.

And by the way, the petrol version 5, is apparently also £23,000 less than the i5.

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x43x

· #4 · 12 d ago

I am glad there is a fully vegan interior. But what about the M steering wheel? If you choose the M60 can it be had fully vegan?

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EstateHopeful

Discussion Starter · #5 · 12 d ago

x43x said:
I am glad there is a fully vegan interior. But what about the M steering wheel? If you choose the M60 can it be had fully vegan?

Looks like you're stuck with leather if you get the M wheel. I've cue'd up this video to the relevant part.

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ChargedUp

· #6 · 12 d ago

anthonye said:
In the excitment so soon after launch, is there perhaps a muddle with the prices ?

UK base price of £74,000 is more than £20,000 above the US price; I'll be intersted to see what the UK sales are like.

And by the way, the petrol version 5, is apparently also £23,000 less than the i5.

BMW EV sales in the UK have been among the best, fastest-growing actually throughout 2022. The i4 alone does decent volume. Which i5 spec do you think they'll sell the most of?

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ChargedUp

· #7 · 12 d ago

x43x said:
I am glad there is a fully vegan interior. But what about the M steering wheel? If you choose the M60 can it be had fully vegan?

I know that's the case with the i4, don't see why BMW won't do it here as well.

On the market from 2023: BMW and MINI models with vegan interiors.

+++ Sustainability in vehicle production through innovative bio-based materials to replace raw materials of animal origin +++ Replacing leather reduces CO2e emissions by 85 percent +++

www.press.bmwgroup.com

"The BMW Group plans to launch its first vehicles featuring completely vegan interiors in 2023. This is being made possible primarily through the development of innovative materials with leather-like properties. It will also be possible to use these materials for steering wheel surfaces, which must fulfil demanding criteria when it comes to feel, premium appearance and wear resistance. Fully vegan interiors will be available for both BMW and MINI models for the first time from 2023. The BMW Group is thus serving the demand for vegan and leather-free interiors, which is set to increase further in the near future, especially in the US, China and Europe."

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x43x

· #8 · 12 d ago

ChargedUp said:
I know that's the case with the i4, don't see why BMW won't do it here as well.

At least one of the videos I've seen so far stated the M steering wheel was leather, despite the vegenza/alcantara seats. Hopefully it was a mistake and you need to select the marino leather option to change the wheel as well. I'll send some emails to be sure.