BMW i5 eDrive40 in Tanzanite Blue shows off the M Sport Package on camera

BMW held a media event in Lisbon, Portugal, where it unveiled the new 5 Series in an all-electric i5 version. The press was given the opportunity to test drive one of the cars - the eDrive40, painted in Tanzanite Blue metallic and equipped with the M Sport package. Now an extended photo gallery has been published to draw attention to the Bavarian rival to the Mercedes EQE.

While the three-star competitor, the EQE, is based on a dedicated electric vehicle platform, BMW is doing things differently with the i5. This exhaust-free 5 Series uses the same CLAR base as the gasoline/diesel/plug-in hybrid models, so it looks pretty much the same inside and out. The EQE has a unique design that sets it apart from the regular E-Class model.

It won't be until 2025, however, that BMW will introduce an architecture designed exclusively for electric vehicles, introducing the Neue Klasse with a sedan and SUV in the 3 Series segment. This doesn't mean the end for CLAR-based electric cars, as they will continue to exist and could be supplemented by the iX5 and iX6 SUVs, which will use the CLAR rather than the Neue Klasse.

BMW has already stated that it is in no hurry to kill the internal combustion engine, instead it is promoting the "Power of Choice" slogan by offering its vehicles with different types of drivetrains. The new 5 Series (G60) meets these requirements, and fans can rest assured that the V8 will remain. However, no new M550i model is expected, so only the M5, due in 2024, will have eight cylinders.

BMW BMW currently only sells the 5er in a sedan body. However, the new Touring (G61) will be released in early 2024, when the i5 Touring is also scheduled to arrive. The much-anticipated M5 station wagon (G99), which will compete with the Audi RS6 Avant and Mercedes-AMG E63 Estate, is also expected in the same year.

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BMW