BMW i5 long-term test
Does the electric version of BMW’s latest 5 Series executive saloon impress as much as the larger and pricier i7? We've been living with one to find out...
The Car BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport Pro Run by Steve Huntingford, editor
Why it’s here To see if BMW’s latest electric car feels special enough to justify its hefty pricing when you live with it day-to-day
Needs to Combine outstanding comfort and refinement with strong performance, an enjoyable drive and a good real-world range
Mileage 7128 List price £77,105 Target Price £70,819 Price as tested £92,570 Test range 252-328 miles Official range 338 miles Private price now £55,290 Dealer price now £62,202
6 September 2024 – All good things
They say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, but in reality, a couple of tests that my BMW i5 aced just before I handed it back meant I was very aware of what I was about to lose.
First, there was a family holiday in the Cotswolds, where the i5’s blend of space, comfort and refinement made the long motorway drive from London as relaxing as you could hope, before its agile handling kept me entertained on the winding country roads near our bed and breakfast.
What’s more, the car’s impressive real-world range meant we completed the whole holiday without recharging – despite making full use of the climate control and never really driving with efficiency in mind.
Just how impressive is the range? Well, that brings me to the final challenge that my i5 faced: our bi-annual ‘drive ’em until they die’ endurance test, where we take a selection of electric cars to the Horiba MIRA test track and see just how far they’ll go on a full charge.
The test loop features a high percentage of 70mph cruising, to reflect the fact that drivers who want to travel long distances in one hit are likely to be using the motorway network. Yet, the i5 still averaged a very respectable 3.8 miles per kWh for a total of 311 miles. Meanwhile, on less strenuous journeys I’ve seen as much as 328 miles – just 10 short of my i5’s official figure.
True, in the depths of winter, when batteries are less efficient, that total fell to as little as 252 miles. However, I never really suffered any range anxiety, due to the accuracy of the i5’s range readout. Indeed, if anything it errs on the side of caution; it wasn’t unusual to see the range that it estimated I’d have left when I reached my destination actually tick up as I drove along.
And what about the occasions when I did need to top-up mid-journey? Well, electric car evangelists often claim that by the time you’ve been for a comfort break and bought a coffee, your car will be ready to go. However, in reality that was rarely true during my time with the i5 – not because of the car itself, which has a pretty rapid maximum charging speed of 205kW, but due to the more limited maximum speeds of most UK public chargers.
In reality, replenishing my i5’s 81.2kWh (usable capacity) battery usually meant sitting parked up for around an hour. And you know what: I was actually fine with that, because I’d use the time to catch up on work, or pass it by watching something on Netflix or YouTube.
My mood was helped by the fact that the interior of the i5 is a great place to be. Not only is it beautifully finished, but you can still run the climate control and heated seats when you’re charging, while the Bowers & Wilkins surround sound stereo (a £1250 option fitted to my car) sounds much better than any speakers I have at home.
I was also a fan of the noises the i5 makes on the move; instead of trying to make it sound like a petrol car, BMW got Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer to come up with something that helps convey how hard you’re accelerating while sounding suitably futuristic.
Meanwhile, the actual way in which the i5 accelerates is another strength, with a prod of your right foot causing it to build speed in the sort of rapid and linear fashion that takes the stress out of overtaking and pulling out of busy junctions.
Just as crucially, though, there’s enough travel in the accelerator pedal that the car doesn’t feel at all spikey in stop-start traffic.
Unfortunately, there is an elephant in the room, and it’s the price of the i5. Even the entry-level model costs £67,695, while my car came in at more than £90,000. That’s a huge amount of money – even for a car as good as this.
On the other hand, I paid just £62 per month to run the i5 as a company car, due to it attracting a lowly 2% benefit-in-kind tax rating. If you’re in the same position and it’s on your list, I’d urge you to find out what you’re missing out on.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
Read more about our long-term BMW i5 >>
Read about more long-term test cars >>
Buy a new car with What Car?
Like the sound of the BMW i5?
If so, check out the latest BMW i5 deals available through our free New Car Deals service.
Our network of What Car? approved dealers use our Target Price discounts (the most our mystery shoppers think you should pay) as the basis for their savings.
