► BMW’s electric saloon driven
► Sharp handling and quick acceleration
► Head and shoulders above the EQE
There’s a lot riding on this one. It’s 5 Series that runs purely on electrons, not petrol or diesel. BMW isn’t chasing EV revolution with wild new shapes and spaceship dashboards. Instead, it’s taking a more conservative path – and that’s exemplified by the i5. At first glance, this could be any new 5 Series: elegant, understated, executive. It doesn’t shout about being electric. But under the skin, it’s arguably the most forward-thinking 5er yet.
The i5 is built on the same CLAR architecture as the combustion versions, but the eDrive40 and M60 xDrive are pure EVs. The lineup also includes mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines, as well as plug-in hybrids. But it’s the electric duo that have the most to prove.
Competitors include the Mercedes EQE, CLA and Tesla Model S – both designed from the ground up as EVs. Yet BMW insists the i5’s strength lies in doing what the 5 Series has always done best: being an outstanding all-rounder. Has it worked? Keep reading our full, thorough review to find out.
Should you buy the BMW i5? Yes. It feels ‘normal’ in all the right ways. It’s brilliantly sorted, and steers sweetly, rides with maturity and handles well.
At a glance
Pros Rides and steers like a proper 5 Series, brilliant cabin refinement and layout, feels familiar and intuitive.
Cons Styling may be too conservative for some, M60 is very quick but heavy, real-world range isn’t the best.
What’s new?
This G60-generation 5 Series is all-new, and built on BMW’s CLAR platform that supports both ICE and EV powertrains. The i5 comes in two versions: the single-motor eDrive40 and the dual-motor M60 xDrive, the latter effectively replacing the V8-powered M550i.
Inside, the i5 introduces BMW’s Curved Display – a twin-screen setup incorporating the digital dials and infotainment behind a single sheet of glass. There’s also an illuminated Interaction Bar stretching across the dash, borrowed from the 7 Series and iX, which adds a little flourish to an otherwise restrained interior.
Unlike rivals who build EVs as separate entities, BMW wants the i5 to sit seamlessly alongside its combustion siblings. And in terms of design and user experience, it largely succeeds.
What are the specs?
The i5 EV comes into forms: the eDrive40 produces 335bhp and sends power to the rear wheels, offering the classic BMW driving feel. It accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 6.0 seconds and has a top speed of 120mph.
The more powerful M60 xDrive delivers up to 593bhp when Sport Boost mode is engaged. This dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version slashes the 0–62mph time to just 3.8 seconds and can reach a top speed of 143mph.
Both use an 81.2kWh usable battery (84.3kWh gross). Official WLTP range is up to 357 miles for the eDrive40, and up to 315 miles for the M60 – though you’ll likely see closer to 300 and 260 respectively in the real world.
The i5 supports AC charging at up to 11kW, or 22kW optionally. DC rapid charging is possible at up to 205kW, allowing a 10–80% top-up in around 30 minutes at a fast enough charger.
BMW’s adaptive regen system uses sat-nav and sensor data to adjust braking force. You can leave it in ‘B’ for traditional one-pedal driving or stick with ‘D’ if you prefer the car to coast.
How does it drive?
In short: like a proper BMW. The i5’s steering is very communicative for an electric car and the suspension doesn’t completely isolate the occupants from the road. Pass over some rough tarmac and you’ll feel the patter of the gravel in your palms – and when you’re really hustling down a B-road, you can sense the chassis moving around under you it copes with the dips and the camber. It’s a good laugh.
It isn’t quite as involving as the old 5 Series, but it’s light years ahead of its closest competitor, the Mercedes EQE. BMW has even managed to retain the old cars’ yobbish streak – once you’ve found the traction control settings on the infotainment system, you can make the i5 slither around like its rear tyres are coated in agricultural birthing gel.
We were surprised by how well the i5 handles its considerable heft, especially when fitted with BMW’s optional active anti-roll bars. The car feels its weight under braking, but with the chassis set in Sport mode, it stays remarkably upright in the corners. The suspension has been tuned on the firmer side to help control the weight of the electric gubbins, but it’s never uncomfortable and the expensive feeling damping shrugs off most bumps. We undoubtedly prefer it to the floaty EQE.
The eDrive40 in particular is quietly excellent, with a lovely balance between refinement, comfort and driver engagement. It’s rear-wheel drive, which helps – and it feels lighter and more agile than its M-badged sibling.
You’ve got just enough poke to nose ahead of a Volkswagen Golf GTI from a standing start, but the hot hatchback will probably make back that lost ground as you keep piling on the speed. The eDrive40’s initial shove starts to wear off as you pass 60mph.
If you demand the sort of performance you got from the old 540i or M550i, you’ll be better served by the i5 M60. You can think of it as the pure-electric equivalent to the old BMW M5. It’s brutally quick and rides well thanks to its active suspension and anti-roll tech. But there’s no getting around its weight. The eDrive40 just feels more fluid, more natural, more like the 5 Series you remember.
What’s it like inside?
This is where BMW’s evolutionary approach really pays off. Inside, the i5 is an awful lot like a miniature BMW i7, which is high praise indeed. Like its limo-shaped sister, the i5 features a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment screen, mounted under one curved slab of glass. It’s powered by the latest iteration of BMW’s iDrive system, which retains the company rotary dial on the centre console. It allows you to navigate to any function on the screen and we think it’s far safer and much less distracting than using the touchscreen.
BMW has gone a slightly mad with its minimalist design language, however. Apart from the iDrive dial, there’s a distinct lack of physical controls in the i5. Even the air vents are opened and closed using touch-sensitive sliders, which feels like technology for technology’s sake to us. Happily, BMW designed its infotainment menus intelligently – the icons are well spaced and large enough to hit when you’re bouncing down a hilly back road.
Space in the rear is generous, and the 490-litre boot matches the regular 5 Series saloon. You don’t get a frunk, but you do get useful underfloor storage for cables. Visibility is good, and the driving position is spot on.
Both the standard and sports seats are excellent, but it’s worth spending a minute playing with the adjustment in the menu before you set off to get totally comfortable. Quality is fantastic, especially compared to the creak box that is the EQE, and space in the back is adequate if not palatial.
BMW also installed a suite of games and video-streaming software to help you pass the time when you’re charging. But if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, you’re more than welcome to continue scrolling through TikTok and scoffing an M&S sandwich like normal.
Before you buy
At launch, the i5 range comprises the eDrive40 and M60 xDrive. Prices start at £74,105 for the former, and £97,745 for the latter. That’s a big gap – and while the M60 is impressive, the eDrive40 arguably offers the better balance.
BMW’s lease and company car rates should make the i5 attractive to fleet buyers. Benefit-in-kind tax is low thanks to zero tailpipe emissions.
Rivals include the Mercedes EQE (softer, more techy), soon the CLA, the Tesla Model S (faster, but less premium-feeling), and the Porsche Taycan (sharper to drive, but more expensive and less practical). Against them, the i5 holds its own by doing everything well – and nothing badly.
Verdict
The BMW i5 is a very accomplished electric executive saloon. It’s far better built and much better to drive than its closest competitor, the Mercedes EQE. It’s also more usable than the Tesla Model S, simply because it has a sensible amount of power and just enough physical controls to feel familiar. Oh, and you can have it in right-hand drive, which is something Tesla has binned off for the Model S.
It is a very expensive car, however. Prices for the eDrive40 model start from around £74,000, while the top-spec M60 variant costs almost £100,000. That’s an awful lot of money for a 5 Series – and we’re not convinced the most basic model is worth the extra £25,000 over the similarly brilliant Kia EV6. You’d need to really love BMW saloons to spend the extra cash.
The Kia EV6 doesn’t drive as well as the i5, though, and its interior isn’t anywhere near as well finished or as loaded with technology. As a practical electric car that’s aimed squarely at driving enthusiasts, the i5 has hit the nail on the head. Right now, its only worthy rival is the sensational Porsche Taycan – and we can’t think of a better accolade than that.