BMW Teases Electric i5 and Confirms Electric M Performance Variant. The new BMW 5-Series will go on sale in October, with mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and completely electric variants available.
BMW has revealed further information about the all-new eighth-generation 5-Series, which will go on sale in October 2023. The carmaker released the first official teaser for the completely electric i5, announcing that it would be available in sedan and touring body styles, with the sedan also getting a hotter M Performance variant.
The teaser shows the BMW i5 Sedan hidden behind a cover, but the activated LED headlights reveal the model's distinct lighting signature. The contour of the huge kidney grille and the iconic three-box design of the car can also be seen, which will be replicated by the 5-Series. The more practical i5 Touring will follow in 2024, matching what we've already seen in spy pictures.
During the BMW Group Annual Conference 2023, Oliver Sipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, disclosed that "a completely electric Performance model from BMW M GmbH would also be included in the future BMW 5-Series Sedan portfolio". According to Zipse, the i4 M50 was "the best-selling BMW M vehicle worldwide in 2022," forcing the company to go for a comparable offering based on the bigger i5. The full-fledged BMW M5 was not mentioned in the news announcement, although recent sources indicate it would feature a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
Besides the totally electric vehicles, the firm presented further details about the ICE-powered 5-Series. The powertrain selection will feature petrol and diesel alternatives with 48-Volt mild-hybrid technology, as well as plug-in hybrids, according to BMW's philosophy of providing buyers with many options. According to the firm, this will be the most energetic and comfortable 5-Series ever.
The inside of the latest generation will, predictably, include the BMW Curved Display, which will operate on the Linux-based BMW Operating System 8.5. It is fair to anticipate, however, that the 5-Series range will receive the Android-based OS 9.0 upgrade in the near future.
