BMW offers plug-in hybrids to their customers, but they also have fully electric vehicles in the dealerships. That is why they established ‘i’ sub-brand and now we have a chance to see the new BMW i5, which has been rendered. The new model will go into production in 2018, and it will go on sale as a 2019 BMW i5.
The patent drawings were discovered by AutoGuide and three weeks ago they were displayed for everyone to see it, whereas the car was rendered by Indian Autos Blog. The new BMW i5 should be an all-electric crossover SUV with five doors and room for five passengers. According to EPA, the range of the new vehicle should be between 200 and 250 miles per one charge.
The battery pack will be large, and it will be located under the floor, causing a slight decrease in the interior space. Just like the i3 and i8, the new model will be based on the same frame made of aluminum, and it will have carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) body shell. Unlike the Chevy Bolt, which could be one of its main rivals, the BMW i5 will be an AWD vehicle which means better traction when it is raining or snowing.
The BMW ‘i’ sub-brand was founded back in the 2000s as the “MegaCity Project.” The purpose of this was to investigate the market thoroughly and find out what kind of cars would be in demand in the near future. BMW i3 and i8 were released in 2013 and 2014 respectively, and both of these cars were based on the aluminum chassis with a CFRP bodyshell.
The 2019 BMW i5 will probably use high-capacity Samsung cells that will allow a high range of the new vehicle. Once again, this car will hit the market in 2018, but this has yet to be confirmed.
