The first electric iX5 will have a massive battery, the largest in a BMW EV yet, that could offer a range of over 500 miles on a single charge.
When is BMW launching the first iX5 EV?
BMW is putting the new X5, including the electric iX5, through its final calibration tests at its manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The fifth-generation X5 marks the debut of the first fully electric version, the iX5 60 xDrive. Like the new iX3, it will use BMW’s sixth-generation (Gen6) eDrive system with an 800V architecture.
BMW said the Gen6 electric drive delivers 30% faster charging speeds and a 30% increase in driving range compared to its current system.
Although it shares most of the Neue Klasse tech and design with the 2027 iX3, the new iX5 will not ride on the dedicated EV platform. Instead, it will be based on an updated version of its CLAR platform that underpins the current X5 to support electric and gas powertrains.
BMW’s new X5 (iX5) prototype (Source: BMW)
It will draw power from a massive 144 kWh battery in the US and 141 kWh in Europe, the largest in a BMW electric vehicle to date.
BMW didn’t reveal specifics, but since the iX3 50 xDrive has a WLTP range of up to 500 miles (805 km), the iX5 could beat it with a larger battery.
Of course, weight and size will impact its range, but it will also be equipped with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive, delivering a combined 578 hp (425 kW).
BMW’s new X5 (iX5) prototype (Source: BMW)
The new iX3 50 xDrive is priced from €73,925 ($85,200) in Germany, with a driving range of up to 500 miles (805 km).
While that’s its official WLTP rating, BMW drove the iX3 over 620 miles (1,000 km) from its Debrecen plant in Hungary, where the iX3 is built, to Munich, Germany, in November without stopping to charge to prove its efficiency.
The new BMW iX3 50 xDrive (Source: BMW)
In NAF’s recent Summer EV Range test, the iX3 outlasted every other EV, driving 485 miles (781 km) without stopping.
In the US, the 2027 BMW iX3 50 xDrive is available to order starting at $61,500. It has an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 434 miles. The larger iX5 will likely be a bit more expensive at around $75,000
The 2027 BMW iX5 will make its debut by the end of summer, with sales expected to begin in early 2027. With BMW finalizing testing at its Spartanburg plant, we should learn more details soon.
The new BMW X5 will be available in five powertrains: electric, plug-in hybrid, mild hybrid, gas, and hydrogen-powered.
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