BMW i5 Render Imagines All-Electric Sibling to X5 SUV
A digital rendering envisions the BMW i5 as a fully electric SUV, positioned between the i3 and i8, with a focus on family use and a projected 200-mile range.
A new digital rendering has surfaced, showing the BMW i5 as a fully electric SUV styled in the vein of the X5. The image, created by an independent artist, gives the clearest hint yet at what a battery-powered BMW sports activity vehicle (SAV) could look like if it joined the brand’s “i” sub-brand line-up.
BMW has not officially confirmed the i5, but speculation about a third “i” model has persisted since the i3 city car and i8 plug-in hybrid coupe arrived. According to reports circulating in 2016, the i5 was expected to slot between those two, targeting buyers who wanted a practical, family-sized electric vehicle rather than a compact city car or a low-slung sports model.
Design cues from the X5, electric underpinnings from BMW i
The rendering draws heavily from the X5’s proportions, but with distinct BMW i design elements, including blue accents and a closed-off grille. The result is a vehicle that looks ready to compete in the premium electric SUV segment, where rivals like the Tesla Model X and Mercedes-Benz’s EQ range are already active.
Technical details remain speculative. The i5 was reported to use BMW’s FSAR (Flat Battery Storage Assembly) platform, allowing for a flat floor and maximised cabin space. The expected range was around 200 miles (321 km), which would have put it below Tesla’s Model X on outright distance, but potentially ahead in terms of flexibility if BMW offered a range-extending petrol engine option, as rumoured at the time.
Targeting families and the premium EV market
BMW’s i division head of product, Henrik Wenders, was quoted describing the i5 as a car that “must be capable of being the first car in the household,” indicating a focus on practicality and versatility. This would mark a shift from the more niche appeal of the i3 and i8, aiming instead for the core of the luxury family SUV market.
At the time, BMW’s only electrified SUV offering was the plug-in hybrid X5 eDrive, which previewed some of the technology and packaging that could have influenced the i5. The X5 eDrive itself was shown in concept form at Frankfurt, hinting at BMW’s broader ambitions for electric and plug-in hybrid SUVs. For more on BMW’s earlier electrified SUV concepts, see BMW Concept X5 eDrive Plug-in Hybrid to Debut at Frankfurt Show.
No official launch, but strong interest in the segment
Despite the attention generated by renders and rumours, BMW had not announced production plans for the i5 as of 2016. The brand’s electric ambitions were clear, but the exact timing and specification of a family-sized electric SUV remained unconfirmed. The render offers a glimpse of what BMW’s answer to the growing premium electric SUV market might have looked like if the i5 had reached showrooms before the decade’s end.
