BMW confirms the i5 Sedan will be its first all-electric 5 Series vehicle
BMW has revealed more details about its EV release plans, with the highlight being the arrival of the i5 Sedan in in October 2023 alongside the next-gen gas-powered 5 Series. The company also plans to unveil the iX2 SUV sometime this year and an i5 touring EV in 2024. It's all part of a plan to have battery EVs (BEVs) "in virtually every major segment of its business," the company said in a look ahead to 2023.
Much as it did with the i7, BMW will effectively release its new 5 Series cars, including the electric i5 version, at the same time. "The flexible powertrain architecture means the new BMW 5 Series Sedan can be offered in all-electric and plug-in hybrid variants as well as powered by highly efficient petrol and diesel engines with 48V mild hybrid technology," it wrote.
Noting that its all-electric i4 M50 was its best-selling M vehicle last year, BMW said it will release an M performance version of the i5, too. It'll also add a touring i5 in 2024. "The BMW 5 Series Touring is very popular, particularly in Europe," said BMW chairman Oliver Zipse. "From spring 2024 it will also come in an all-electric version, giving us a truly unique selling point in this segment."
The other notable addition next year will be the iX2 crossover SUV, likely based on the upcoming X2 ICE model and a successor to the $83,200 iX. The latter model was perhaps most famous for its weird grille, but offered some solid features including a 321 mile EPA range.
In addition, BMW confirmed that both Rolls-Royce and Mini would be going fully electric by 2030. In the nearer term, it said that "in 2024, at least one in five of the company's new cars will have a fully-electric drive train; by 2025; every fourth new vehicle delivered should be a BEV and, by 2026, around one in three." It expects to sell two million EVs by 2025, and deliver 10 million to customers in 2030.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bmw-confirms-the-i5-sedan-will-be-its-first-all-electric-5-series-vehicle-094954587.html?src=rss