The BMW 5 Series is reborn as electric.This is what her ancestor looked like in 1972

The ecological transition continues at BMW with the first electric 5 Series.The first generation in 1972:in the same year the first electric sedan of the German brand was born, let's see it again

• For the first time in its history the BMW 5 Series has an electric version
• In 1972 the first electric BMW was born
• Design, new dimensions and interiors (for the first time “vegan”)

Now in its eighth edition, there wasn't a fully electric BMW 5 Series.At least until today.Born in 1972, the German sedan has always been perhaps the most distinctive and popular model in the range with over 10 million units sold.Halfway between the smaller and more manageable 3 Series and the flagship 7 Series, the latest 5 Series does not say goodbye (not yet...), to the petrol, hybrid or plug-in hybrid variants, all confirmed also in this new one generation.Unfortunately, it doesn't say goodbye to the diesel versions either.Sin.But this new 5 Series, in this first fully electric version, is surprising for its courage to dare: rear or all-wheel drive (identified respectively in the i5 and Drive40 and i5 M60 xDrive) and the “M” in M60 which has always characterized high-performance BMW models.

Yes, with 601 horsepower (you read that right), the electric i5 M60 xDrive is the most powerful 5 Series in the current price list.Won't it be too much?Shouldn't the electric car be above all an expression of efficiency (and with these powers it is inevitable to sacrifice part of it)?Cars like this certainly deny the fake news that the electric car is monotonous and not very fun, as was also clear in our test.But before telling you how it has changed and what the first electric BMW 5 Series in history offers, let's take a step back to 1972, the year the first generation was born.But also the year of the debut of the 1602 Elektro-Antrieb, the first electric BMW in history.

The first 5 Series was born in 1972.But also the first electric BMW

Yes, 1972 is not just the year of the debut of the 5 Series.In fact, the first fully electric BMW made its debut in the same year.His name was 1602 Elektro-Antrieb, combined the advantage of the front-mounted electric motor with the dynamic qualities of rear-wheel drive.The power was 43 horsepower, the 12.6 kWh lead battery pack was designed to be replaceable, an ante litteram example of battery swapping, i.e. the possibility of replacing the exhausted battery on an electric vehicle with a charge, to be carried out in special exchange stations and in a few minutes, an idea that has not yet been completely abandoned.

The declared autonomy of the 1602 Elektro-Antrieb was between 30 and 60 kilometres, with an acceleration from zero to 48 km/h in 8 seconds and a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour.With the electric 1602 (which was never mass-produced), BMW's journey towards electrification was actually born, which would only materialize over forty years later, with the birth of the first version of the BMW i3, a virtuous (but also expensive, to produce and sell) example of circular economy, in fact the starting point of the German car manufacturer's electric transition.A journey then continued with other electric models, from the i4 to the aforementioned electric 7 Series, up to the SUV iX and the latest addition i5.

BMW 5 Series electric:design, dimensions and interiors (for the first time “vegan”)

Well, now let's go back to the 5 Series and its first electric version. Starting from the "basic" considerations.The new 5 Series is longer (97 mm), wider (32 mm), taller (36 mm).The wheelbase (the space between the front and rear wheels) has also grown significantly (20 mm).Nothing new, the increase in size is (unfortunately) a constant, sooner or later destined to reverse course;public space, especially in our cities, is not infinite and will eventually be progressively taken away from cars and given back to people.Compared to the previous model, the exterior has obviously also changed. But it's inside that the new 5 Series is most impressive, with the almost disappearance of the physical buttons and the two large digital screens - the one in front of the driver measuring 12.3 inches and the other in the center measuring 14.9 inches - which allow you to manage (even with gestures) almost all the car's functions .The striking crystal-like backlit bar that runs across the entire dashboard, up to the doors.

For the first time, interiors with leather-like upholstery are available but “completely vegan”, from the seats to the dashboard, from the door panels to the steering wheel:the growing attention to sustainability, although the term "vegan" in this case is a bit of a misnomer because not all the materials bio-based they are truly an evolution.A note on space:BMW does not have a platform dedicated to electric versions, but prefers to adapt the same frames as the endothermic versions to which it evidently adds the battery pack and electric motors.A choice he has at least two implications:the first (positive) is that the 5 Series itself is available with four types of powertrain, the second (less) is that not having a dedicated electric platform (i.e. with a flat car floor) forces us to reduce habitability, as this can be seen by sitting in the back where the tunnel remains in the center as on the petrol versions.

600 horsepower is a lot.But watch out for efficiency…

Let's go back to the i5 M60 xDrive, the most powerful of the electric versions on the price list.Powerful (too much…), as can be seen from the aforementioned letter “M”, with all-wheel drive, obtained thanks to the 2 electric motors, the front one providing 261 horsepower, the rear one another 250.In all, it reaches the remarkable power of 601 horsepower.A fact that in itself might not say much.But when tested by facts – believe us – it turns out to be surprising.Yes, because the i5 with the "M" in front is not just any electric.There are at least two functions, “Boost" And "Launch control” which, if activated, redefines the driving experience in an electric car.Try:count to 3.8 seconds and imagine, in this time, reaching 100 kilometers per hour.How do you say?So goodbye to autonomy and efficiency?Well, of course we recommend not abusing these two "devils", under penalty of a strong reduction in autonomy, which you would see reduced from the over 400 kilometers declared to just over half.

But at BMW they didn't just think about those in a hurry;selecting the conservative option “Max range” the autonomy increases by 25 percent, provided that you do not exceed 90 kilometers per hour and give up a little climate comfort.Let's go back to the technical data for a moment:the battery has a power of 81.2 kWh and can be charged up to 205 kW, with a nominal voltage of 400 Volts, a choice that could prove limiting in terms of charging times compared to high-performance electric models that already opt for the lithium battery architecture 800 Volts, such as Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT.

Those 10 adrenaline-filled seconds

The BMW 5 Series brakes, accelerates and parks by itself if it wants.If you miss the roar of the old petrol engine (but why should you, when silence is one of the pleasures of traveling electric?), there is the "IconicSounds”, a system that reproduces a sound effect with each movement of the accelerator pedal.And so far... The new feature, currently not available in Italy, is the possibility of changing lanes (without keeping your hands on the steering wheel and even at high speeds) simply by looking in the outside mirror.

You understood correctly: just one look and the car changes lanes by itself, an example of when the autonomous driving could revolutionize driving in the future.Returning to the present, the electric 5 Series, especially in this very sporty version, confirms itself as an incredibly fun car to drive.The power is immediately available, the ride is smooth, the reactions are quick.The feeling of remarkable safety, always.Also thanks to the specials adaptive suspension, very powerful brakes.Not to mention those 10 adrenaline-filled seconds which offers the “Boost” mode, providing a momentary increase in power.Wow!