The Best Electric Wagon In The World

BMW decided to keep things familiar when creating its EV lineup. Unlike certain other German carmakers, the Bavarians didn’t make unusual design decisions to distinguish its electron-powered cars from its ICE range of motor cars. But has the carmaker managed to keep things familiar from behind the wheel? That’s the challenge all legacy automakers are facing, and after our brief time with the all-new BMW i5 Touring this week, we are delighted to confirm that BMW has done a stellar job of making the driving experience engaging, rewarding and, at times, even thrilling. It doesn’t satisfy all the senses in the way only an ICE car can, but compared to a lot of other soulless EVs on the market today, the i5 demonstrates that enthusiasts shouldn’t fear an electric future as much as they might have a few years ago.

Sadly, the only wagon BMW plans to sell in the US is the full-fat M5 Touring which is tantalizingly close to its global debut. But we’re convinced that the i5 Touring – in M60 guise at least – would be most welcome on American streets.

With a beautifully styled, spacious cabin, superb handling and performance, and expertly engineered electric powertrain that delivers almost 600 horsepower, there is so much to like about this car. And it has us salivating at the thought that a similar creation is coming that will exist in a different stratosphere to what is already an elite performer.

The Headline Numbers: 583 HP, 3.9 Seconds 0-62 MPH, 348-Mile Range

If BMW does decide to bring the i5 Touring stateside, it won’t be the eDrive40 model, which utilizes a single electric motor situated on the rear axle, rated at 335 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. A 0-62 mph time of 6.1 seconds, despite having a range of up to 348 miles (WLTP estimated), is not something US buyers will be interested in.

Both models are powered by an 81.2kWh battery pack. However, the M60 is M-lite in its capabilities, with 593 hp and 605 lb-ft on tap courtesy of an extra 257 bhp electric motor on the front axle. The result is a sub-four-second 0-62 mph time that you can enjoy from inside a cabin that shares a a lot with the BMW i7 – a plush limousine that the carmaker has angled toward Rolls-Royce-like luxury. However, all that power requires a sacrifice in range, which is estimated between 277 and 314 miles (WLTP).

Compared to the BMW i5 Sedan, the Touring is 110 pounds heavier, which makes no tangible difference to performance. Length, width, height and wheelbase are identical, but you do get a better looking silhouette in my opinion, and with it, 20.2 cubic feet of trunk space compared to the 17.3 cubes you get in the sedan.

What’s It Like To Drive?

The more aerodynamic shape of the wagon in comparison to the sedan (or estate vs. saloon in British speak) means it cuts through the air better and as I twisted through the tight, fast curves on the Alpine section of Millbrook Proving Grounds, the i5 Touring seemed to shrink from behind the wheel. Much like a gas-powered 5 Series, the i5 is genuinely fun to drive at speed and effortlessly maneuvers around and over urban-street obstacles and potholes, as I discovered on Millbrook’s city course.

The optional Adaptive M Suspension Professional ensures the i5 remains beautifully composed and balanced when cornering at speed. It adjusts the damping on the fly, while vertical inputs are largely erased and the active rear axle steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels by a few degrees, so you can get around hairpins with a half-turn of the steering wheel.

Regenerative braking can take some getting used to when driving EVs, but BMW has largely eliminated the harsh jolt of deceleration you sometimes get when coming off the throttle. The steering provides decent communication from the road, and BMW’s IconicSounds software works brilliantly, feeding the aural senses with faux engine notes, the decibels increasing in line with the revs, augmenting the connection between man and machine.

Adding to the fun is a ‘boost’ function that’s accessed via a paddle behind the steering wheel, which provides 10 seconds of maximum power. Admittedly, I wasn’t entirely sure what this was for, but after pulling the lever, the car in front was soon in my rearview, and it was clear BMW had created a nitrous boost for the EV era.

An Interior Worthy Of A Six-Figure Car

BMW is currently making some of the best interiors in the business, and following the exquisite 7 Series/i7 and XM, the i5 is the latest model to showcase the carmaker’s high-class cockpit design. The high-tech cabin features BMW’s Curved Glass display, a single sheet of glass consisting of a 12.3-inch instrument display behind the steering wheel and a 14.9-inch main screen. BMW’s latest Operating System 8.5 and QuickSelect boast lovely new graphics and an intuitive interface.

BMW has retained the iDrive rotary controller, which should help keep the screen free from dirty fingerprints but we suspect drivers will predominantly use the touchscreen to control most features. Below the infotainment is what BMW calls the Interaction Bar where touch-sensitive climate controls are found. The center console where the rotary dial lives also contains a few other items like the start/stop button, parking brake and drive selector switch that can all be elegantly housed in crystal glass as an optional treat.

The seats are top notch, extremely supportive and comfortable and can be covered in leather for a premium or a vegan alternative called Verganza comes as standard that also extends across the dashboard. Naturally, they are electronically adjustable and heated, and if you need to kill some time while waiting for the car to charge, BMW’s AirConsole system offers 20 games that you can control via your smartphone and also allows for video streaming.

Pricing And Alternatives

There is one rather sizable elephant in the room when discussing the BMW i5 Touring, and that’s its price and inevitable sharp depreciation. The BMW i5 Touring M60 starts from £99,995 ($127,330 at current exchange rates), but once you throw in a few essential options, like the BMW Individual Tanzanite Blue body color (£1,095/$1,390); the Comfort Plus Pack (£3,350/$4,260) that adds niceties like front and rear heated seats, ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel; the Technology Plus Pack (£3,300/$4,200) that includes Parking Assistant Pro and Live Cockpit Pro with head up display; the M Adaptive Suspension Pro (£4,000/$5,000); and a couple of other interior upgrades, the price quickly rises to £116,060 ($148,000). Expect to lose half that amount within three years.

The electric performance wagon segment is a niche within a niche within a niche, and consists of just one model in the US – the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, which according to some dealers, is not selling particularly well, although we have no data to back this up. Despite there being a wealth of wonderful wagons (both ICE and EV) available on the continent – including limited-run models like the Audi RS6 Avant GT – US buyers remain laser-focused on SUVs and will miss out on the BMW i5 Touring, which is a crying shame.

2024 BMW i5 xDrive40 Sedan

MSRP

$70,100

Engine

Electric

Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Transmission

Single Speed Automatic

Horsepower

389 hp

Torque

435 lb-ft
2024 BMW i5 M60 Sedan

MSRP

$84,100

Engine

Electric

Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Transmission

Single Speed Automatic

Horsepower

590 hp

Torque

586 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
2024 BMW i5 eDrive40 Sedan

MSRP

$66,800

Engine

Electric

Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Transmission

Single Speed Automatic

Horsepower

335 hp

Torque

295 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

For the record, if you’re looking for a practical electric SUV, your options include cars like the BMW iX, Audi Q8 e-tron and Kia EV9, and only the latter of these have a bigger trunk than the i5 Touring.

However, you do have the option of the i5 Sedan, which is equally impressive as the Touring on the road. And the M5 Wagon will be shown over the summer if you have your heart set on a performance wagon.