BMW i5 eDrive40 Review & Test Drive

The BMW i5 xDrive AWD is the brand’s latest foray into electrification. Everyone has an electric vehicle these days. Even BMW. The interesting part of this model is it was designed alongside the new gasoline powered 5 Series at the same time. As a result, the company can scale EV and / or gas construction as needed. It’s kind of like being a switch hitter, if you will. We at Napleton News most certainly will (!)

What’s new with the BMW i5 eDrive4o?

What’s new with the 5? Everything. The BMW i5 follows the newest technology when it comes to the modern age of vehicle design. That means that instead of building a specific car for a specific need, like the Toyota Prius, BMW has followed in the footsteps of Dodge and others. The new Dodge Charger, for example, can be built as a gas-powered fire-breather or as a fully-electric coupe or sedan. BMW has followed suit by making the new BMW 5 series adaptable to how it is ordered. It keeps costs down across the board and helps to minimize the need for parts between the two platforms.

This all-new midsize luxury electric sedan is available in two flavors so far. Our test sample was the i5 eDrive40, which is powered with one electric motor driving the rear wheels. The motor generates 335 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque and can zip from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. It was also equipped with an optional adaptive suspension, which changes settings according to a switch on the center console.

Pick a Mode. BWW i5 eDrive Modes.

There’s a switch on the center console that also lets you control drive modes ranging from Normal to Efficiency to Sport and Sport+. Of all these options, and because of the dreaded range anxiety that we experience with any type of EV, we enjoyed the Efficiency mode, which enabled one pedal driving and maxed out the battery range to over 320 miles.

Sadly, there are those who always want need more power. BMW hears them and offers the i5 M60 instead. It is powered by two electric motors, using all-wheel drive. The pair of motors combine to deliver 590 horsepower and 586 lb-ft of torque. It is standard with the adaptive suspension kit and includes rear-wheel steering for supreme corner-cutting, when necessary, of course.

Battery charging of the 400 volt lithium-ion battery can get it from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes. Located under the floor of the 5 series, it doesn’t infringe on anyone’s legroom anywhere in the cabin.

How about outside the BMW i5 eDrive40?

Here we think BMW didn’t try hard enough. Instead, the once distinctive 5 series shows a blandness that actually makes us appreciate the days of former BMW design chief Chris Bangle. Sure, there’s the unique set of “5” Easter eggs placed throughout the car, and the available illuminated grille. But lately it seems there are better designs coming from South Korea than from the Fatherland.

The BMW clunk is missing. What’s a clunk, you ask? It’s that solid sounding noise you hear when shutting the doors. We think there is a lighter gauge of steel that contributes to that. Other parts of the car just look incomplete. An example is the rear diffuser which appears cut out for exhaust pipes, which are obviously unneeded on an electric vehicle. The open gaps are unsightly and unnecessary.

Inside is a different story.

The i5 interior includes a much better effort than its exterior. That’s thanks to clever design and a full curved display that includes gauges in front of the driver that blend into the infotainment screen just to the right. The iDrive glass control knob helps operate the wide touchscreen display.

Speaking of center console, the i5 has a ton of buttons that are actually push panels that offer haptic feedback once you have pushed them enough. They are a quick study whose operation becomes second nature in no time.

The seats are absolutely comfortable for the short and long hauls. We like how the car pre-conditions itself when you open the door, turning on the ventilated seats and the climate controls. Switches built into the lower bout of the dashboard help control the dashboard air conditioning vents. Multicolored LEDs offer a variety of color-based mood lighting to keep things interesting inside.

Behind the wheel of the BMW i5 eDrive40.

There are so many bells and whistles in this baby. Some will help you drive above your level and others will literally save your life. One is a feature that will not allow the car to move unless the seatbelts are buckled.

Other interesting features about the BMW include the car turning off when you step out to toss something in the trash or to plug in a charger. You could chalk it up as a safety feature or an unnecessary annoyance but it is one that you quickly become used to.

Driving is rather straightforward behind the wheel of the i5. We prefer the one foot driving method (Efficient in the drive modes) that allows you to drive as normal by pushing the accelerator. It also has one-footed braking so that as soon as you release the accelerator, it applies the brakes, which also helps regenerate energy to the batteries.

The ride is quiet, the acceleration is brisk and the handling is typical BMW. That’s saying it has stellar handling, braking and more. Credit the BMW engineers who still insist on a 50:50 weight distribution for optimal driving and handling dynamics.

Even with motivation for a new age, the BMW i5 eDrive40 shows that is worthy of the Ultimate Driving Machine moniker.