The 2024 BMW i5 M60 is powered by an 84.3-kWh (useable) battery comprised of 324 cells in seven modules spread along the platform floor. A 335-horsepower electric motor on the rear axle and another — this one 257 hp — up front combine for what BMW says are 590 ponies in all. It also boasts 547 pound-feet of torque (605 lb-ft when M Sport Boost or M Launch Control functions are activated), not to mention all-wheel-drive capability. BMW says the combination — again, when M Launch Control is actuvated — can touch 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds.
Not unexpected, considering they share the same battery, the tamer eDrive40 boasts superior range (295 miles or 478 kilometres) to the M60 (256 mi/412 km). It’s worth noting here that BMW’s range ratings are more accurate than most. For instance, when Range Finder tested the company’s 105.2-kWh iX M60 battery-powered SUV, it managed a 414-kilometres range in real-life 125 km/h cruising as compared to a 463-km official rating. That suggests that the BMW i5 M60 should be able to manage up to 350 klicks on a single charge — quite commendable at its battery’s 84.3-kWh capacity.
As for charging, BMW specifies that the peak charging rate is 205 kilowatts. While this is an improvement over the iX M60’s 190-kW peak, it is not exactly exemplary. Indeed, BMW specifies that the i5s can recharge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent of their batteries’ capacity in 30 minutes, which, when you do the math, works out to an average of 118 kilowatts. That’s not particularly rapid and is a result of BMW using a 400V architecture rather than more avant-garde 800-volt systems like Porsche and Hyundai use. If you’re looking for the BMW’s weakness, look no further.
