This is the new fully electric BMW i5 xDrive M60 - the new 5-series was crowned World Luxury Car 2024 on March 28th, 2024. It is the 8th generation of one of BMWs most important models, the 5-series. First launched in 1972 as the BMW 5-series E12, it is still produced at BMWs factory in Dingolfing in Germany. Over the last 50 years, BMW has sold millions of its 5-series, and it has always been the sporty alternative in the executive saloon segment where it competes head-to-head with a.o. Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class.

And the 5-series is safe, also earning the rating top safety pick from the US insurance institute for highway safety.

So, it is certainly a solid car, but is it also a good electric car? And is it worth the big cheque BMW wants for it? Because BMW wants serious money for the i5 xDrive M60 which starts at 123,900 CHF. With the options fitted on this car, the price climbs to 149,110 CHF.

That’s a lot of hard-earned cash. But for that you get a top-equipped car, 10 years’ service included and a 3-year warranty up to 100,000 km.

The i5 is a luxury limousine. It is elegant, well built and beautifully crafted. You get two motors, 261 HP up front and 340 HP on the rear axle, giving a total of 517 HP in standard mode and 601 HP in Sport mode, 0-100 km/h in 3.8 sec. and a top speed of 230 km/h.

The battery has a net capacity of 81.2 kWh and BMW promises 10-80% charging in 30 minutes with a charging speed of up to 205 kW. The WLTP range is between 455-516 km under ideal conditions.

There is btw a spooky restriction on the DC-charging of the i5; if you DC-charge it 6 times within a 24 hr period the DC-charging speed drops to 30 kW to reduce battery wear. You can break the restriction by AC-Charging once and then you have another 6 DC-charging sessions. For me this would not be a problem, but for taxi drivers and if you are one of those people who travel across Europe and do 1500 km or more in a day, then you need to plan an overnight stay at a hotel, ideally with an AC-charger.

I find BMW’s platform strategy very interesting. BMW is pursuing a technology-open strategy and offers all types of powertrains for their customers, including diesel, petrol, hybrid, BEVs and even fuel-cell cars. I think BMW has chosen a clever strategy and it probably gives them the edge over Audi and Mercedes the next year or two. The i5 is fully electric but looks like a normal BMW 5-series with combustion engine. There is nothing controversial about the design of the exterior, the i5 just looks pretty good.

There is good luggage space too, no problem to fit your luggage or your sports gear in the 490-l trunk – which can be increased in size and flexibility if you fold the rear seats. The latest BMWs are all packed with advanced technology, including a large, driver-focused, curved 14.9-inch infotainment display plus 12.3-inch info-display, both operated by BMW's iDrive system version 8.5, and you get both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It should also be mentioned that the BMW drive-assist is one of the best around, and in my opinion also better than what Tesla offers at the moment. All in all, the package is very impressive and helps making driving easier and safer.

Thank you for watching this review, and please share, like and comment, thanks!

Filmed in Switzerland in March 2024 and produced by DNTS Productions.

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