BMW i5 in final testing ahead of summer reveal and October on-sale dates

BMW has released images of its electric i5 saloon undergoing final testing in advance of its launch this summer.

The car – an all-electric version of the next-generation 5-series range – will compete with the Mercedes-Benz EQE and Genesis G80 as battery-electric executive chauffeur saloons. Much of the technology used in the new i7 will be seen in the i5.

The i5 is currently undergoing fine-tuning of suspension control and driver assistance systems at the BMW Group’s test centre in Miramas. New features include an improved ride and handling system, which BMW calls Vertical Dynamics Management, while autonomous driving capabilities have been enhanced significantly.

The car is fitted with a Highway Assistant system, 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.

The car also has an integral heating and cooling circuit with heat pump function for the drive system, the high-voltage battery and the interior. The predictive heat management capability of the high-voltage battery paves the way for rapid and efficient DC fast-charging.

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