BMW fans- the wait is over! The electric version of the beloved 5 Series, the i5, is finally here with a solid range and impressive speed. But UK buyers might want to sit down when they see the price tag. 📷: Daniel Kraus/BMW
The i5 eDrive40 is rear-wheel drive, with the electric motor located directly in the rear axle, generating 340 hp and 400 newton-meters of torque. The zero-to-62 mph sprint is significantly lower than the M version, but at six seconds flat it should be plenty fast enough for most. Maximum speed is limited to 120 mph. BMW is claiming combined power consumption between 19.5 and 15.9 kilowatt-hours per 62 miles.
If 120 mph is somehow not enough for you, the all-wheel drive i5 M60 xDrive has motors on both the front and rear axles. The rear motor generates 340 hp, and the front 261 hp. The torque generated by both is 795 newton-meters but goes on to reach 820 when “boost” or launch control is activated. Max speed is limited, thank heavens, to 143 mph. Power consumption is a claimed 20.6 to 18.2 kilowatt-hours per 62 miles.
That almost unnecessary boost feature on both cars is operated by a shift paddle near the left steering wheel spoke. If the paddle is pulled for more than 0.8 seconds, maximum acceleration is triggered. The drive sound changes at the same time for those who like fake noise pumped into the cabin.Next, a word on pricing.
It gets worse for the i5 M60 xDrive. That will retail at £96,840 in the UK, while in the US it will be $84,100, which means the Brits will pay nearly £29,000 more than the Americans for the same car. I asked BMW why there was such an enormous difference in price between the countries; all it would say was that “pricing varies by market.” But even factoring sales taxes and Brexit, the disparity seems stark. Bad luck for UK buyers.
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