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0333 016 9630
Photo 2 of 26 of the BMW i5 Touring
Range is the official WLTP laboratory figure, measured on a full charge: expect roughly 15% less in normal use and more again in cold weather. Charge time assumes a charge point that can deliver this car’s maximum rate. Both were measured when the car was new.
Independent road test by
6.8/ 10 overall · Luxury Full Electric Cars
BMW's eighth generation G60 5 Series model's evolution is headlined by the incorporation of a fully-electric variant into the line-up, this car, the i5. It doesn't share the completely bespoke approach of its closest rival the Mercedes EQE. But it promises to be a more engaging driver's car and a rather different take on EV motoring for forward-thinking executives who don't want an SUV.
Jonathan Crouch · updated 28 February 2025
“Five goes live” by Jonathan Crouch · 6 min read · updated 28 February 2025
It wasn't long ago that BMW's full-electric i range was dependent on a single model, the i3. But now that's gone, to be replaced by a whole portfolio of (unfortunately much pricier) models, with mainstream offerings based around the iX1 and iX3 SUVs and the mid-sized i4. In the luxury segment, BMW has the iX crossover, the i7 boardroom-level luxury saloon and, to slot directly under that latter model, this car, the i5. Lots of other BMW EVs are planned of course, as the i sub-brand gradually takes over the Munich maker's range.
As the i5 badge suggests, this is an all-electric take on the eighth generation G60 design 5 Series. In other words, the fundamentals of this car's architecture weren't specifically designed for an EV, which immediately puts the i5 on the back foot against its most obvious rival, the bespoke-designed Mercedes EQE. But the CLAR platform in use here has been evolved very much with full-battery power in mind and the stats from its 81.2kWh battery certainly look class-competitive. Will it all be enough for this BMW to get a foothold in the fledgling sector for large executive models with EV power? Let's see.
Review © Car & Driving
Rapid DC · up to 205 kW
30 min
10-80% charge
Home charger · up to 7.4 kW
12 h 45
0-100% charge
These are the maximum rates this car accepts: actual speed depends on the charge point, the battery temperature and how full the battery already is. They were measured when the car was new, so expect a used battery to charge a little slower and to hold slightly less.
Employers on the scheme
Not on the scheme yet?
It costs them nothing to look. Send this note to HR, finance or your boss. We’ll do the explaining.
For employers: Set up a scheme for your team
Hi,
I found an electric car salary sacrifice scheme that costs the company nothing to run and would let staff pay for an EV from gross salary. Could we look into it?
https://salsac.app.fleetev.com/?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=share&utm_content=vdp
Good to know
Straight answers on how the cost works, what comes with the car and what happens if things change. If your question is not here, ask us.
Because you give it up from your gross pay. The amount sacrificed comes out before income tax and National Insurance, so you stop paying those on that part of your salary, and the figure shown here is what actually leaves your take-home pay once that relief and the benefit-in-kind tax on the car are accounted for.
It is the tax on having a company car available to you, charged as a percentage of the car list price. It is already included in the cost shown here. Electric cars sit at a much lower percentage than petrol or diesel, which is most of why salary sacrifice works well for an EV, though the percentage is set by government and rises over time.
The maintenance package comes with every car: servicing, maintenance, road tax, tyres and breakdown cover are all in the monthly amount, so the only running cost left to you is charging. Insurance is optional and depends on whether your employer has added it to their scheme. Your quote sets out exactly what yours covers before you commit to anything.
Change them here as much as you like: the cost updates as you do. Once the order is placed the term and mileage are fixed for the length of the agreement, so it is worth being honest about your mileage now rather than contracting for less than you drive.
The arrangement is between you and your employer, so leaving ends it. What happens to the car then depends on your scheme: some employers let you take the agreement with you, others end it early, and early termination can carry a cost. Check your scheme documents or ask your employer before you order.
Ask them. It costs a business nothing to set up or run, and most say yes once they have seen the figures. Just above these questions there is a short note you can send to whoever runs HR or benefits, or ask us and a scheme specialist will approach them for you.
It varies by make and specification, from a few weeks for a car already in the country to several months for a factory order. We confirm the lead time for this specific car before you commit.
Ready when you are
Priced on the specification and the plan you have chosen here. No obligation, and we will say so if salary sacrifice is the wrong answer for you.
Prefer to talk?
Real people who do electric car salary sacrifice every day, not a call centre. We can talk through this car, the tax, or whether your employer’s scheme is the right fit.