2024 BMW i5 Charging

According to BMW, the i5 enables Level 2 AC charging up to 11 kW and when connected to a DC fast charger the rate is 205 kW.

At 205 kW charging the i5 can go from 10% to 80% in approximately 30 minutes.

i5 owners also get 2 years of complimentary 30-minute charging sessions at Electrify America DC fast chargers.


High-voltage battery with compact design and high energy content.

Like the drive units, the high-voltage battery used in each BMW i5 model is also derived from the latest fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology. It is composed of four modules with 72 battery cells each and three modules with twelve cells each. The high-voltage battery has a low profile thanks to the modules being cleverly and model-specifically designed. This means it can be fitted in the underbody of the BMW i5 to save space. In fact, the amount of space available for the passengers in the electric 5 Series is identical to that available in the internal combustion variants.

The high-voltage battery in the BMW i5 combines compact dimensions with high energy density. It provides a usable energy content of 84.3 kWh. Combined with the high efficiency of their electric motors, this provides ranges suitable for long journeys for both model variants of the BMW i5. When fitted with standard 19-inch wheels, the i5 eDrive40 is estimated to travel up to 295 miles on a single charge, while the range of the high performance i5 M60 xDrive is estimated at 256 miles (estimated ranges according to preliminary BMW AG tests based on the EPA’s test procedure standards).

The Combined Charging Unit in the BMW i5 enables Level 2 AC charging up to 11 kW. When connected to a DC fast charger, the charging rate of 205 kW means the battery can be topped up from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes. First-time owners of the new BMW i5 receive two years of complimentary 30-minute charging sessions at Electrify America DC fast-charging locations.

When driving, the latest version of adaptive recuperation helps to conserve the power reserves and recover electrical energy during throttle lift-off and braking phases. Thanks to intelligent networking, the drive control system can use navigation data and information from sensors of the driver assistance systems to adjust how much power is recuperated according to the respective traffic situation. As an alternative to this adaptive recuperation, the driver can select high, medium, or low braking energy recovery for all traffic situations in the BMW iDrive menu. Low recuperation enables a “coast” function. The BMW i5 simply rolls along without drive torque as soon as the accelerator pedal is released.

Efficiency is further enhanced by a novel intelligent combination of heat pump technology for the integrated heating and cooling circuit of the interior as well as for the heating and cooling system of the drive and the high-voltage battery of the BMW i5. This allows both the interior and the high-voltage battery to be heated simultaneously with the heat pump function and, if required, with a central electric auxiliary heater.

Charging efficiency is optimized using the latest charging software.

As the battery charge level increases, the charging procedure continuously reduces the charging power instead of delivering the so-call "staircase curve". This makes the charging curve smoother, shortening the charging time. Furthermore, the waste heat generated by the electric motors is used for controlling the temperature of the high-voltage battery in the BMW i5. This can significantly reduce the energy required for preheating the battery on the way to a fast charging station.

Battery thermal management for optimized DC fast charging.

Anticipatory thermal management ensures that the temperature of the high-voltage battery is optimally controlled in advance of a stop at a fast-charging station. When the navigation system is active, the battery is automatically pre-conditioned before a planned charging stop. Pre-conditioning the battery can also be manually activated and deactivated by the customer at any time.

"Overcooling" of the high-voltage storage unit during fast charging is prevented by implementing full and partial cooling power phases in the charging process. This prevents excessively low temperatures from occurring during fast charging, especially at high states of charge. This offers increased potential for short charging times and reduced ageing of the battery cells. In addition it is possible to save individual charging settings for several individual charging points. They are then automatically restored the next time the driver approaches the respective charging point.