BMW i5 undergoes summer testing, will debut in May

26 April 2023, 07:32:07

BMW i5 undergoes summer testing, will debut in MayThe series production development process for the first-ever BMW i5 is entering the home straight with the fine-tuning of its suspension control and driver assistance systems. Just a few weeks ahead of the car’s world premiere in May, it is clear the all-electric version of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan will deliver an outstanding driving experience – just like all the other variants. Innovative Vertical Dynamics Management elevates the balance of sporting potency and ride comfort for which the BMW 5 Series has always been renowned to an even higher level. And the car’s automated driving capability has also been taken into a new dimension with the Highway Assistant, which controls the distance to the vehicle ahead, carries out steering adjustments, and carries out lane changes for the first time by means of eye activation.

Over the course of more than a year, the BMW i5 has negotiated a richly varied program of testing – from the snow-covered and icy surfaces of the winter test center at Arjeplog, Sweden to regions offering extreme heat and dry conditions, in city driving and on country roads, on motorways and hand-picked test tracks. The fine-tuning work for all the components involved in the driving experience was then carried out at the BMW Group’s proving grounds outside Miramas in southern France. This included ensuring the integral heating and cooling circuit with heat pump function for the drive system, the high-voltage battery, and the interior of the BMW i5 can be controlled as required at all times. The predictive heat management capability of the high-voltage battery paves the way for rapid and efficient charging at DC fast-charging stations.

As the range-topping model variant, the BMW i5 M60 xDrive (electric power consumption combined: 21.2 – 17.9 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions: 0 g/km in the WLTP cycle [provisional figures]) is fitted as standard with Adaptive Suspension Professional including electronically controlled dampers. This suspension system can also be specified as an option for the BMW i5 eDrive40 (electric power consumption combined: 19.7 – 16.0 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions: 0 g/km in the WLTP cycle [provisional figures]). Thanks to an innovative form of BMW Vertical Dynamics Management, it offers a noticeable increase in sports performance combined with a level of ride comfort that also represents a clear step forward from that of its predecessor.

The new BMW 5 Series Sedan also raises the bar in its segment with its extensive array of systems for automated driving and parking. High-resolution cameras, high-precision radar sensors and control units from the BMW Group’s latest technology toolkit, plus a software application refined over countless miles of testing, provide the ingredients for an automated driving experience featuring innovative highlights that further enhance safety and comfort.

In the USA and Canada, and now also in Germany, the Driving Assistant Professional available as an option for the new BMW 5 Series Sedan comprises Highway Assistant, which can be used at speeds of up to 130 km/h (85 mph). Once activated, the system takes care of distance control and the steering inputs required for lane control, so the driver can keep their hands in a comfortable position and focus fully on surveying the area around the vehicle and the traffic situation at hand.

An interior camera helps monitor the driver’s level of alertness and also enables another innovation: in a world first, the automated lane change – included as part of the Driving Assistant Professional and Highway Assistant – in the new BMW 5 Series Sedan can be controlled using eye activation. This convenience feature results in a new level of interaction between human and car. Looking in the exterior mirror prompts the car to initiate the lane change process and carry out the necessary steering movements and speed adjustments at speeds of up to 130 km/h (85 mph) once the driver has confirmed they want it to do so and the traffic situation allows. The purely visual gesture complements the previous use of the turn signal lever, which is also available as an alternative.

Production of the new, eighth-generation BMW 5 Series Sedan will begin in summer 2023 at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in Bavaria. The car’s market launch will get underway in October 2023.

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EV Specifications

Complete specifications of EVs, grouped according to their brand and year

AudiBMWBytonCadillacChevroletDaciae.GOFIATFiskerFordGenesisGMCHondaHyundaiJaguarKIALexusLucidMazdaMercedes-BenzMGMININIONissanOpelPeugeotPolestarPorscheRenaultRivianSEATŠKODAsmartSubaruTeslaToyotaVolkswagenVolvoXiaomi

Featured

Specifications of some of the most interesting and anticipated EVs.

2024 Porsche Macan

2024 Porsche Macan 4

Doors: 4, Seats: 5
Length: 188.3 in / 4784 mm
Width: 76.3 in / 1938 mm
Height: 63.9 in / 1622 mm
Curb weight: 5302.12 lb / 2405 kg
Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 100 kWh, Voltage: 800 V

2024 Porsche Macan

2024 Porsche Macan Turbo

Doors: 4, Seats: 5
Length: 188.3 in / 4784 mm
Width: 76.3 in / 1938 mm
Height: 63.8 in / 1621 mm
Curb weight: 5302.12 lb / 2405 kg
Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 100 kWh, Voltage: 800 V

2024 Xiaomi SU7

2024 Xiaomi SU7 RWD

Doors: 4, Seats: 5
Length: 196.7 in / 4997 mm
Width: 77.3 in / 1963 mm
Height: 57.3 in / 1455 mm
Curb weight: 4365.15 lb / 1980 kg
Electric motor: 220 kW, 400 Nm, Location: Rear
Battery: 73.6 kWh

2024 Xiaomi SU7

2024 Xiaomi SU7 AWD

Doors: 4, Seats: 5
Length: 196.7 in / 4997 mm
Width: 77.3 in / 1963 mm
Height: 56.7 in / 1440 mm
Curb weight: 4861.19 lb / 2205 kg
Electric motor #1: 275 kW, 500 Nm, Location: Rear
Electric motor #2: 220 kW, 400 Nm, Location: Front
Battery: 101 kWh, Voltage: 871 V

2024 Volkswagen ID.7

2024 Volkswagen ID.7 Pro

Doors: 4, Seats: 5
Length: 195.3 in / 4961 mm
Height: 60.5 in / 1536 mm
Curb weight: 4788.44 lb / 2172 kg
Electric motor: 210 kW, 550 Nm, Location: Rear
Battery: 77 kWh

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Luxury 2

Doors: 5, Seats: 7
Length: 224.3 in / 5697 mm
Height: 76.1 in / 1934 mm
Electric motor: 505 kW, 1064 Nm, Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 200 kWh, Voltage: 800 V

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Sport 2

Doors: 5, Seats: 7
Length: 224.3 in / 5697 mm
Height: 76.1 in / 1934 mm
Electric motor: 505 kW, 1064 Nm, Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 200 kWh, Voltage: 800 V

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Luxury 1

Doors: 5, Seats: 7
Length: 224.3 in / 5697 mm
Height: 76.1 in / 1934 mm
Electric motor: 505 kW, 1064 Nm, Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 200 kWh, Voltage: 800 V

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ

2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Sport 1

Doors: 5, Seats: 7
Length: 224.3 in / 5697 mm
Height: 76.1 in / 1934 mm
Electric motor: 505 kW, 1064 Nm, Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 200 kWh, Voltage: 800 V

2025 Volvo EX30

2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance (EK)

Doors: 5, Seats: 5
Length: 166.7 in / 4233 mm
Width: 76.4 in / 1940 mm
Height: 61.0 in / 1549 mm
Curb weight: 4034.46 lb / 1830 kg
Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 69 kWh

2023 BMW i7

2023 BMW i7 xDrive60

Doors: 4, Seats: 5
Length: 212.2 in / 5391 mm
Width: 76.8 in / 1950 mm
Height: 60.8 in / 1544 mm
Curb weight: 5820.2 lb / 2640 kg
Electric motor #1: 190 kW, 365 Nm, Location: Rear
Electric motor #2: 230 kW, 380 Nm, Location: Front
Battery: 105.7 kWh, Voltage: 376.4 V

2024 BMW iX

2024 BMW iX M60

Doors: 5, Seats: 5
Length: 195.0 in / 4953 mm
Width: 77.4 in / 1967 mm
Height: 66.8 in / 1696 mm
Curb weight: 5862.09 lb / 2659 kg
Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 111.5 kWh, Voltage: 330.3 V

2024 BMW iX

2024 BMW iX xDrive50

Doors: 5, Seats: 5
Length: 195.0 in / 4953 mm
Width: 77.4 in / 1967 mm
Height: 66.8 in / 1696 mm
Curb weight: 5698.95 lb / 2585 kg
Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 111.5 kWh, Voltage: 330.3 V

2024 BMW i4

2024 BMW i4 xDrive40

Doors: 4, Seats: 5
Length: 188.3 in / 4783 mm
Width: 72.9 in / 1852 mm
Height: 57.0 in / 1448 mm
Curb weight: 5048.59 lb / 2290 kg
Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 83.9 kWh, Voltage: 398.5 V

2023 BMW i4

2023 BMW i4 M50

Doors: 4, Seats: 5
Length: 188.3 in / 4783 mm
Width: 72.9 in / 1852 mm
Height: 57.0 in / 1448 mm
Curb weight: 5048.59 lb / 2290 kg
Electric motor #1: 230 kW @ 8000 - 17000 rpm, 365 Nm, Location: Rear
Electric motor #2: 190 kW @ 8000 - 17000 rpm, 430 Nm, Location: Front
Battery: 83.9 kWh, Voltage: 398.5 V

2023 BMW iX

2023 BMW iX M60

Doors: 5, Seats: 5
Length: 195.0 in / 4953 mm
Width: 77.4 in / 1967 mm
Height: 66.8 in / 1696 mm
Curb weight: 5862.09 lb / 2659 kg
Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 111.5 kWh, Voltage: 330.3 V

2023 BMW iX

2023 BMW iX xDrive50

Doors: 5, Seats: 5
Length: 195.0 in / 4953 mm
Width: 77.4 in / 1967 mm
Height: 66.8 in / 1696 mm
Curb weight: 5698.95 lb / 2585 kg
Location: Rear
Location: Front
Battery: 111.5 kWh, Voltage: 330.3 V

2024 Volvo EX90

2024 Volvo EX90 Twin Performance (E2)

Doors: 5, Seats: 7
Length: 198.3 in / 5037 mm
Width: 77.3 in / 1964 mm
Height: 68.7 in / 1744 mm
Curb weight: 6197.19 lb / 2811 kg
Electric motor #1: 190 kW, 490 Nm, Location: Rear
Electric motor #2: 180 kW, 420 Nm, Location: Front
Battery: 111 kWh, Voltage: 400 V