Photo: BMW
It’s pretty obvious that the world isn’t satisfied with only two BMW i models. The thing is, in today’s market, the difference between the i3 and i8 is just too big. While the Germans are offering a niche car for nearly every taste out there, the i cars on the table right now are just too far apart.
Hence, the rumors about a third model, the BMW i5, are gaining more and more traction. The latest comes from a Spanish website, Motor.es and they claim that an insider told them all about the future of the car.
According to the source mentioned above, the Germans are moving away from the traditional sedan shape. As it turns out, the i5 will be a luxury SUV which would make it a rival for the Tesla Model X and not the Model S. A couple of interesting things have to be mentioned here though.
Going for an SUV body shape will surely be a problem in terms of drag coefficients and efficiency. Other than that, we really can’t see why this wouldn’t be possible.
First of all, you get more space to hide the batteries needed for the electric powertrain and you’d also be exploiting this sudden wave of popularity SUVs and Crossovers are benefitting from these days. Lastly, you’d be going up against the Model X instead of the Model S that has proven its worth time and time again.
It wasn’t a coincidence that the Germans unveiled their first concepts using hydrogen this year at a special event held in Miramas, France. This could very well represent a glimpse into the future and the plans that they have for eco-friendly vehicles.
Furthermore, their collaboration with Toyota must show some results anytime now, to prove that something is actually being worked on behind closed doors. The source claims that the powertrain will be similar to the one used on the Toyota Mirai, but we think that if hydrogen will be powering the new BMW, a new powertrain should be used.
Considering that the i5 should come out in 2020, there’s still plenty of time for development and research as well as for a concept to be unveiled anytime now, the Geneva Motor Show of 2016 being slated as one of the possibilities.
According to the source mentioned above, the Germans are moving away from the traditional sedan shape. As it turns out, the i5 will be a luxury SUV which would make it a rival for the Tesla Model X and not the Model S. A couple of interesting things have to be mentioned here though.
Going for an SUV body shape will surely be a problem in terms of drag coefficients and efficiency. Other than that, we really can’t see why this wouldn’t be possible.
First of all, you get more space to hide the batteries needed for the electric powertrain and you’d also be exploiting this sudden wave of popularity SUVs and Crossovers are benefitting from these days. Lastly, you’d be going up against the Model X instead of the Model S that has proven its worth time and time again.
Fuel-cell power
Another interesting detail disclosed by the Spaniards is that apparently the upcoming i5 will be using a fuel-cell powertrain. While it may seem like a far-fetched possibility, we think it may actually come to be.It wasn’t a coincidence that the Germans unveiled their first concepts using hydrogen this year at a special event held in Miramas, France. This could very well represent a glimpse into the future and the plans that they have for eco-friendly vehicles.
Furthermore, their collaboration with Toyota must show some results anytime now, to prove that something is actually being worked on behind closed doors. The source claims that the powertrain will be similar to the one used on the Toyota Mirai, but we think that if hydrogen will be powering the new BMW, a new powertrain should be used.
Considering that the i5 should come out in 2020, there’s still plenty of time for development and research as well as for a concept to be unveiled anytime now, the Geneva Motor Show of 2016 being slated as one of the possibilities.
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