BMW 15

Engineers have tried to make electric saloon as similar to new 5 Series as possible

- GREG KABLE

TESTED 19.4.23, MIRAMAS, FRANCE ON SALE SEPTEMBER

BMW wants to offer an electric variant of each of its traditional volume-sellers. So as a key part of the new eighth-generation 5 Series line-up, it has created the i5.

Project leader Andreas Holzinger says his team worked to four tenets: traditional design, contemporary digital functionality, a flexible drivetrain architecture and a balanced driving experience.

"We want to ensure that when you buy a 5 Series, you get a 5 Series," he says, "be that an EV or a more traditional ICE car. Our goal was to make them as similar as possible."

As such, it retains the 5 Series' traditional three-box silhouette, with a long bonnet, a relatively flat roofline and a sloping bootlid.

Holzinger confirms that, under its camouflage, the i5 shares its body with the ICE 5 Series, although there will, of course, be subtle visual differentiators, including the grille and more aerodynamic wheels.

Despite the covers inside, it's clear the i5 adopts a dashboard similar to the i7's, with a freestanding curved digital panel housing the driving and infotainment displays and a thick multifunction steering wheel.

It also receives the 8.5 version of BMW's iDrive operating system. Developments include capacity for over-the-air updates and, optionally, a hands-off lane-changing system.

The i5 sits on a new version of the Cluster Architecture used by the ICE 5 Series. Modifications include a new floorpan to house the 81kWh battery pack, which offers up to 321 miles of range and can be charged at 200kW by a DC charger. There is, however, still a transmission tunnel in the cabin, giving the i5 the same driving position as the 5 Series but also compromised rear-seat room.