As early as July of this year, BMW has confirmed that the next-generation 5 Series is currently under development with a set of spy photos. More importantly, the volume-selling saloon isn't coming exclusively with a fossil fuel-sipping power plant – an all-electric version will come in tow and we've already seen several sightings of its development.
Believed to be named the BMW i5, the automaker was seen testing the all-electric 5 Series again in this set of spy images. The prototype looks like a regular 5er saloon, though it dons the "Electric Test Vehicle" decal and it doesn't have exhaust tips at the back.
Gallery: BMW i5 New Spy Shots
From what you can see in the spy shots, the BMW i5 isn't getting a gigantic grille – unlike the BMW i4 that reflects that styling of its ICE counterparts. This is hardly a surprise since the German marque is expected to play safe with one of its best-sellers.
Though still heavily concealed, we can see that BMW also keeps a single-tier headlight configuration for the i5, unlike the biggest SAV in the range, the X7, as well as the bigger 7 Series and i7 saloons. We'll also see this configuration in the upcoming X8, which could debut at the end of this month.
The hotter 5ers:
Powertrain details are scarce at this point, though there's a rumour that the hotter version of the i5, the i5 M, will be having three electric motors that produce a total output of 750 bhp. The i7 electric sedan could have the same configuration as well, although BMW has yet to confirm this information.
The next-generation 5 Series will ride on the BMW's CLAR platform, allowing it to accommodate the all-electric powertrain for the i5. With the current schedule, the automaker is expected to reveal the model by the second half of next year.
Source: Automedia