The BMW i5 Could Come with Three Powertrain Variants

• The i5 will be the electric counterpart to the 5 Series

• Three different power and range levels could be offered

• The i5 should arrive in 2023

Rumours indicate that BMW could offer its upcoming i5 electric sedan with three powertrain variations, two of which will be based on the i4.

The i5 will be the electric counterpart to the internal combustion powered 5 Series when it arrives sometimes in 2023.

This mid size sedan could offer a choice of three mechanical configurations, which will reportedly be named eDrive40, xDrive40 and M50.

The eDrive40 and the M50 will likely use the same motors that power the versions of the smaller i4 which wear the same name. The base model would then deliver 335 horsepower and the M50 would have an output of 536 horsepower.

The xDrive40 will be a new version that will be powered by two motors in order to offer all-wheel drive, as its name suggest. No power figures have been revealed for this model, but it could share elements with the iX xDrive40, which delivers 322 horsepower.

The batteries could also be shared however, there is a possibility that the i5 will get a larger battery since its wheelbase is expected to be longer than the i4’s and BMW stated that the current unit was tailored to the i4 in order to use as much available space for energy storage as possible. A larger wheelbase would free up space under the car, so more cells could be added to provide a longer range.

This would also make the i5 more competitive with the Mercedes-Benz EQE, which has a 90.6 kWh battery, while the i4 only has 83.9 kWh of total capacity.

The charging capabilities of the i5 are expected to be capped at around 200 kW on a DC fast charger and the architecture will remain at 400 volts despite many of the competition moving to 800 volts, at least for the beginning of the new model’s career.

Range estimates have not been announced for the i5, but if it uses the same powertrain and batteries as the i4, its range should be lower due to its larger size and weight. This means that the range for the eDrive40, the most efficient model, will be under 484 kilometers.