The BMW i5 is the all-electric version of the world-famous 5 Series sedan, and now–for the first time–there’s also a battery-powered version of the 5 Series wagon. Plus, the German company is offering a plug-in hybrid version of said wagon both in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive guises.
Bet let me get to the bad stuff first. Neither the BMW i5 Touring nor the 5 Series Touring plug-in hybrid is coming to the United States, with a previous press release shredding Americans’ dreams of ever getting their hands on the electrified wagons with the following sentence: “The unique combination of sporty elegance, modern functionality, and locally emission-free driving pleasure is developed specifically for the automotive markets in Europe as well as in Japan and Taiwan.”
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The 5 Series wagon goes all-electric
The BMW i5 Touring is the German company’s first-ever series production all-electric wagon. It comes with a bigger trunk than the sedan but, unlike the sedan, it won’t be offered in the United States. In fact, none of the 5 Series’ wagon options are available here.
BMW is referring to all the powertrain options available for the 5 Series Touring, which include plug-in hybrid gasoline options, mild-hybrid diesel burners, and all-electric trims. That said, it doesn’t mean we can’t dream–an all-electric wagon, especially one that’s branded as a premium product, is somewhat of a unicorn in the automotive industry.
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We could say that the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo is sort of a wagon, and there’s also the Nio ET5 Touring that’s available in China and Europe, but that’s about it. Sure, the MG5 exists, but that’s marketed as an affordable electric wagon, and Volkswagen’s ID.7 Tourer isn’t on sale yet.
So, what does the i5 Touring offer? Well, a bigger trunk than its sedan sibling, for starters. BMW says the wagon has a cargo volume between 570 and 1,700 liters (20.1 to 60 cubic feet), irrespective of the powertrain version. By comparison, the i5 sedan–which is sold in the United States–has 490 liters or 17.3 cubic feet.
This, together with the different body style, is the only thing that separates the electric wagon from the sedan. The battery, electric motors, charging capabilities, and gizmos are the same.
The base i5 Touring carries the eDrive40 badge and comes with a single rear-mounted electric motor that makes 230 kilowatts (308 horsepower) in day-to-day driving conditions and 250 kW (335 hp) when My Mode Sport mode is activated. The same goes for the torque, which is rated at 295 pound-feet (400 Newton meters) but goes up to 317 lb-ft (430 Nm) for a short period when Sport Boost or Launch Control is enabled.
The WLTP driving range of the BMW i5 eDrive40 Touring is between 300 and 348 miles (483 to 560 kilometers).
The most powerful version of the zero-emissions wagon is called the i5 M60 xDrive Touring and comes with a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup that’s good for 380 kW (509 hp) most of the time and up to 442 kW (592 hp) when you choose to live dangerously. Torque is also higher, with 586 lb-ft (795 Nm) available all the time and up to 604 lb-ft (820 Nm) when M Sport Boost or My Mode Sport is active.
But with more power usually comes less range, and it’s no different for the i5 M60 xDrive Touring, which can travel between 276 and 314 miles (445 to 506 km) on a full charge.
Speaking of charging, the i5 Touring accepts up to 205 kW of power from DC sources and up to 11 kW from an AC source (a 22 kW onboard charger is also available as an option).
On the plug-in hybrid front, the 5 Series Touring comes in either 530e or 530e xDrive guise, both of which combine a 2.0-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor to make a combined output of 220 kW (295 hp) and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm). The all-electric driving range is between 49 and 59 miles (79 to 96 km) on the WLTP cycle thanks to a 19.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The all-electric i5 comes with an 81.2-kWh high-voltage pack.
Pricing for the BMW i5 Touring starts at 72,200 Euros in Germany, which is about $78,600 and includes VAT.
So, what do you think? Would an electric 5 Series tickle your fancy if it ever made it to the U.S.? Let us know in the comments section below.
