Video Summary
- BMW has been late to the EV party, but that is generally a good thing.- As far as electric options go, there are two available initially.
- The reviewed i5 eDrive40 is the rear-wheel-drive version, with less power.
- An M60 version of the i5 will have all-wheel drive and more power.
- On charging, the car is not as fast as Porsche, Hyundai, or Kia.
- The test car has 21-inch wheels, which reduces range.
- Same size battery (81.2 kWh) is used across models.
- Standard wheels achieve a US EPA range of 295 miles, while 21" wheels yield a 256-mile range.
- The car hits 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds; its V-max is 120 mph.
- M60: 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. A benchmark is the M5 CS that does 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds.
- This particular test car weighs a shade under 5000 pounds. The M60 is about 350 pounds heavier, and a 4-cylinder ICE is 900 pounds lighter.
- The basic car starts at $66,800.
Reviewer's opinion on the car and technology:
- There is a boost mode, more a "passing mode" that offers added torque.
- The door pulls are a different and unique design.
- BMW's Iconic Sounds can be added. However, unlike Rolls Royce Spectre, the car doesn't "blast the sounds"; it is subtle.
- The test car had Cape York Green paint, but the reviewer finds that it is not green.
- The "daylight opening" (window profile) is not classic 5-series, more like a 3-series.
- Is the rear 3/4 angle the money shot for this car? Not so much. The "reverse buck teeth" tail and brake lights have to "grow on" you.
Interior Opinion:
- Excellent place to be.
- Has a "self-leveling" rear air suspension for a more comfortable ride.
- It feels a bit "too Techno" for a luxury car.
- The Operating System, is a newer version of the UX.
- What the car does best, is it has actual controls to use. BMW moves controls lower, but does include physical buttons, unlike Porsche.
Wishlist:
- It's "not bad" with what EV currently is, but just "sort of good," as is right now. The battery "weight penalty" is 900 pounds, in effect.
The reviewer asks a key question:
Do you pick "a bit too much tech" for the interior design, or simply get a car without the sky roof option and let it have a "normal" roof?
