Overview
The BMW i5 — a 2024 Edmunds Top Rated winner — returns for 2025 with a few small updates. Most notably, a dual-motor i5 xDrive40 variant joins the lineup, which gives customers a slight power increase compared to the base model, as well as the added sure-footedness of all-wheel drive.
Regardless of power output, all i5 sedans have an 84.3-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which can replenish at a maximum charging speed of 205 kW. The base rear-wheel-drive i5 eDrive40 has a single electric motor that produces 335 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, which allows this 4,916-pound sedan to accelerate to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The hotter i5 M60, meanwhile, has a dual-motor setup with 593 hp and 586 lb-ft of torque. And despite a 331-pound weight penalty compared to the eDrive40, the i5 M60 is a full 2 seconds quicker to 60 mph, able to do the deed in 3.7 ticks.
Edmunds spotlight: The new i5 xDrive40
From March 2024 on, BMW will sell the 2025 i5 xDrive40, which effectively splits the difference between the aforementioned eDrive40 and M60 models. It's got the same dual-motor setup as the M60, but more power than the eDrive40: 389 hp and 435 lb-ft of torque. This allows the i5 xDrive40 to sprint to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, and it'll top out at an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. Official EPA range figures are still forthcoming.
The 2025 BMW i5 xDrive40 is priced from $71,095, including $995 for destination. Currently, the 2024 i5 models start at $67,795 for the eDrive40 and $85,095 for the M60, again including a mandatory $995 destination charge.
Competitors to consider
The BMW i5 is a midsize electric sedan, and its closest competitor is the Mercedes-Benz EQE-Class. Other similarly sized sedans to consider are the Lucid Air and Tesla Model S. The upcoming Volkswagen ID.7 will also be a contender when it arrives later this year.