At the 2023 BMW annual meeting, the automaker announced more details about the new car to us, and at the same time showed us its first pure electric 5 Series model, which is scheduled to the BMW i5 launched in October.
BMW has produced more than 10 million 5-series vehicles in the more than 50 years since the 5-series was launched in 1972. However, the BMW 5 Series will get a major upgrade this year: it will be fully electrified.
Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, said at the BMW Group Annual Meeting: “The pure electric BMW i4 M50 demonstrates how BMW perfectly combines dynamic performance and electric mobility. Models. Purely electric performance models from BMW M GmbH will also be included in the new BMW 5 Series Sedan lineup.
According to Zipse, the BMW i5 will be the brand’s first electric 5 Series sedan and will give the brand a “truly unique selling point.” According to reports, this i5 is scheduled to be launched in October, and will then “tour” around the world in 2024. BMW said it will continue to expand its pure electric lineup.
Production of the new car is expected to start in the next few months at the Dingolfing plant in southern Bravia, BMW’s largest manufacturing facility in Europe. BMW said the i5 will maintain its traditional position between the company’s midsize sedan, the 3 Series, and its luxury sedan, the 7 Series.
While no pricing was announced, BMW hinted that the brand would bring a “low-priced electric car” to its lineup, but several rivals, including Mercedes-Benz, have apparently dropped lower-priced models.
The new 5 Series is “more dynamic and more comfortable than ever” with a new version of the iDrive 8.5 in-vehicle system, and will also introduce the curved display on BMW’s iX electric SUV, as well as new digital services.
In addition, BMW confirmed that the i5 sedan will receive a high-performance M version and a wagon version. Zipse said that after the electric BMW i450 became the best-selling BMW M model in 2022, the BMW 5 Series lineup will also welcome a pure electric M car, claiming: The pure electric BMW i4 M50 shows how BMW combines power performance and electronics. The perfect combination of mobility.
▲ Spy photos of the new BMW i5 M60
BMW said its orders remained ample due to its attractive lineup of all-electric vehicles, but remained cautious in 2023 amid rising interest rates and inflation.
The specifications of the i5 M is not yet clear(which can be called the i5 M60), but considering its size is close to that of an M5 fuel car, we expect it to bring supreme performance similar to the Tesla Model S Plaid.
BMW also confirmed that the new 5 Series won’t just be petrol and electric. “A flexible powertrain architecture means the new BMW 5 Series Sedan can be offered in pure electric and plug-in hybrid variants, with a 48V mild-hybrid system.”
In fact, BMW revealed a lot at its annual conference, especially about electric vehicles. BMW has confirmed that the upcoming redesigned X2 will be joined by an all-electric version called the iX2. The car will be unveiled later this year alongside the new iX1.
