- The all-electric BMW i5 has begun production at the firm’s factory in Dingolfing, Germany.
- The i5 is one of the company’s first electric-powered saloons.
- The move introduces another car to the scene to rival models such as the Tesla Model S.
BMW’s fully-electric saloon enters production in Germany
BMW has announced that the electric-based i5 has begun production at its Bavarian factory. This is the third fully-electric model made at the factory, following in the steps of the luxury electric BMW iX and BMW i7 models.
The company has spent over €1bn integrating these new vehicles into the Dingolfing factory, and also notes that 40% of production at the facility will be based on fully electric vehicles by next year.
“The BMW i5 and our plant in Dingolfing are perfect examples of how the BMW Group is transforming itself for e-mobility and developing our plants on the road to the BMW iFACTORY. E-mobility is the new normal at our plants worldwide. Between 2021 and 2024, we will have integrated a total of 15 fully-electric vehicles into our production network.”
Milan Nedeljković, Board of Management, BMW AG
BMW says that this feat of 15 different EVs can be achieved by engineering all of its new models to accept both electric, internal combustion engine (ICE), and hybrid powertrains. This allows them to meet all customer demand, and utilise the maximum capacity of its plants.
The BMW i5
The i5 is one of only a few launched so far in its sector; a fully-electric, midsize executive saloon. The Model S achieved that when it was launched all the way back in 2012, while Mercedes launched its EQE saloon last year. We’re still waiting for rival products to materialise from manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Audi, and Volvo.
The new model is initially being launched in both ‘i5 eDrive 40’ and ‘i5 M60 xDrive’ format. The latter is a performance variant, with 601bhp and a 0-62mph of just 3.8 seconds. Those figures could make it a contender for the best electric sports car that combines practicality. The i5 will start at £74,105, and a roomier estate variant is expected to arrive next year.
