BMW’s electrification story continues with the addition of the dual motor, all-wheel-drive BMW i5 xDrive40 for model year 2025. The innovative Highway Assistant will bring increased comfort levels over longer journeys to a wider range of BMW vehicles.
The first quarter of 2024 will also see the arrival of attractive new features in digital services, such as easier use of the Apple voice assistant Siri in vehicles with BMW Operating System 9, and the optimized display of ratings for charging stations for fully electric and plug-in hybrid BMW models. The steady expansion of the range of functions for the My BMW App also continues.
A third fully electric variant will be added to the new BMW 5 Series lineup in March 2024. The new BMW i5 xDrive40 uses two highly integrated fifth-generation electric drive units, one at the front axle and one at the rear axle, which together develop a total system output of up to 389 hp and peak torque of 435 lb-ft. Underpinned by the electric all-wheel drive system, the BMW i5 xDrive40 accelerates from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds, on to a top speed of 130 mph.
The HV battery under the floor of the latest fully electric 5 Series model delivers 84.3 kWh of usable energy. The i5 xDrive40’s Combined Charging Unit enables AC charging at a rate of 11 kW, but when connected to a DC fast charger, the charging rate of up to 205 kW means the battery can be topped up from 10% to 80% in as little as 30 minutes.
The standard Plug & Charge Multi Contract function enables automatic payment from the vehicle at public charging points. Customers can store up to five individual Plug & Charge-enabled accounts from different providers in the vehicle’s iDrive system. As soon as the vehicle is connected to the charging point, the data necessary for account access and payment is sent to the vehicle via the charging cable. The authentication required to initiate charging and payment takes place automatically at any of the stored charging locations.
Production of the 2025 BMW i5 xDrive40 begins in March, and it will arrive in the US with a base MSRP of $70,100 plus $995 destination and handling.
With the introduction of the 2025 BMW 550e xDrive, the all-new 5 Series will be available with the full range of drive systems: internal combustion, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric. The 550e xDrive pairs a 3-liter TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine with a fifth-generation electric motor integrated into the 8-speed Steptronic transmission to produce a total system output of 483 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.
Traction is managed by BMW’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system, resulting in an expected 0-60 time of about 4.0 seconds. Maximum speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, or 87 mph in electric mode.
Additional details including pricing and electric range will be announced closer to the start of production in July 2024.
