Friday, March 29

2024 BMW i5 5 unveiled as the first electric 5 Series | Digital Trends Spanish


BMW i2024 5

The new 2024 BMW 5 Series is two cars in one. For one, there’s the eighth-generation gasoline sedan that will account for the lion’s share of sales in most markets. On the other hand, for the first time in the long history of the nameplate, there is an electric version called the i5.

bmw it developed the i5 and 5 Series at the same time, and the two cars look pretty similar with the exception of small powertrain-specific details like badging. Both sedans remain instantly recognizable as members of the Munich-based company’s family, but they’re far less outgoing than, say, the XM. BMW told me that’s intentional: They’re aimed at an audience that prefers a more subtle design.

Electricity forced BMW designers to make the i5 slightly taller than the outgoing 5 Series to free up space for the battery pack, and the sedan grew in length and width as well to retain sleek proportions. It stretches 199.2 inches long, 74.8 inches wide, and 59.6 inches tall.

In turn, the larger dimensions create a roomier cabin: BMW notes that rear-seat passengers enjoy more legroom than in the latest-generation 5 Series. The outgoing car doesn’t feel cramped, though, and the technology packed into the i5 is likely to draw more eyes than the interior dimensions. The driver is faced with a large screen called the Curved Display already found in the i4, among other recent additions to the BMW range. It’s a standalone frameless display that neatly bundles a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen for the Operating System 8.5 infotainment system into a single unit. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility come standard.

One of the i5’s coolest features is an in-car gaming system called the AirConsole that allows passengers to play a variety of games using their smartphone as a controller. This feature only works when the car is stationary—you won’t see an i5 go-kart racing driver driving down I-15—and BMW notes that it should be particularly useful for killing time during charging stops. Initially approximately 20 games will be offered.

BMW has historically offered the 5 Series with different power levels, and the i5 continues this trend. The entry-level eDrive40 model uses a single, rear-mounted electric motor rated at 335 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of instantaneous torque. Next up is the M60 xDrive, which gains a second electric motor up front for all-wheel drive across the highway and a total output of 590 horsepower and 586 pound-feet of torque. Both versions use an 84.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack compatible with a 205-kilowatt charge. While the i5 has yet to be tested by the EPA, BMW estimates a 295-mile driving range rating for the rear-wheel-drive model and a 256-mile rating for the all-wheel-drive car.

Highway Assistant technology included in the optional Driving Assistance Professional package enables what the firm calls “attentive hands-free driving” at up to 85 mph. This system doesn’t make the i5 autonomous—it’s not BMW parlance for “nap time”—but it does keep the car moving at a preset speed and centered in its lane. BMW takes the “hands-free” tag seriously: thanks to eye-tracking technology, Active Lane Change technology also included in the package allows the driver to confirm a lane change simply by looking in the left or right rear view mirror.

Production of the 2024 BMW i55 is scheduled to begin later in 2023. Pricing for the eDrive40 starts at $67,795, including a mandatory $995 destination charge, while the M60 xDrive has a base price of $85,095; It will be the most expensive member of the range at launch.

What about the 5 Series?

BMW isn’t leaving behind buyers who aren’t interested in going electric. The new 5 Series range will initially include two models called the 530i and 540i xDrive. Offered with rear or all-wheel drive, the entry-level model ($58,895) uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The all-wheel-drive 540i ($65,895) benefits from a 3.0-liter inline-six that’s turbocharged to 375 horsepower and up to 398 pound-feet of torque when an overboost feature is engaged.

Both engines are linked to a 48-volt mild hybrid system, and BMW has confirmed that a plug-in hybrid model will hit US dealerships in 2024.

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