BMW i5 eDrive40 2024 review: snapshot

This is the first electric BMW 5 Series, the i5, here in two variants. This one is the ‘entry’ i5, the eDrive40, rivalling the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQE.

From $155,900 before on-road costs, the i5 eDrive40 is a single-motor rear-drive electric car with an 84kWh lithium-ion battery providing juice to a 250kW/400Nm synchronous motor.

Using 16.56kWh per 100km, the base i5 has a claimed 550km maximum range.

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Interior upholstery is Merino leather as standard, while a 12.3-inch instrument display paired with a 14.9-inch multimedia display headline the interior tech, plus a head-up display, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging tray and BMW’s ‘new’ 'Interaction Bar' are included.

The eDrive40 comes with BMW’s ‘Adaptive Suspension Professional’ with 'Integral Active Steering' (rear-wheel steering), plus an acoustic protection system to make ‘electric car noises’ to warn pedestrians.

It also includes BMW’s ‘Iconic Sounds’ for the occupants - a system that uses orchestral sounds composed by Hans Zimmer instead of engine sounds - pumped in through a 655-watt, 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system.

It also has a Mode 2 and Mode 3 charger, cable, and a five-year Chargefox subscription.

ANCAP hasn’t crash tested the new 5 Series, but it comes with front and side airbags for driver and passenger including one between the two occupants, as well as curtain airbags front and rear.

BMW says the 5 Series has about 40 safety systems including 'BMW Driving Assistant Professional' as standard, with active cruise, lane assist and departure warning, front and rear cross traffic alert, collision prevention and intervention systems and even an augmented reality dash display.

BMW has an industry-standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on its new cars, while servicing is undertaken based on condition, not time or distance intervals.