Photo: RM Design
Looking for a family SUV? Audi, Mercedes and BMW all think you might want it to be electric by the end of 2020. While everybody has hybrid off-roaders on offer, BMW is the only company with a dedicated line of green vehicles that have their own identity, the i cars.
The i5 first appeared in the rumor mill in 2013. Back then, the i family was brand new, but the company's top brass knew that sooner or later the gap between the i3 city car and the i8 sportscar would need to be bridged.
The early rumors suggested the i5 would be a sedan to rival the Tesla Model S or a bigger i3. However, it's now believed that it will take the form of an all-electric crossover or SUV.
That's why we are showing you the renderings released today by RM Design. The designer combined elements from several cars to make the i5 appear futuristic. Of course, nobody knows what it will look like, but some family connections will exist. That's why the blocked-off kidney grilles and aero wheels make these images believable.
In an exclusive interview with Auto Express magazine, BMW's board member responsible for sales and marketing, Ian Robertson, divulged a few company secrets. He said no firm decision has yet been made, but the SUV route is preferred.
As emission regulations are tightening all over the world, BMW needs its electric vehicles to be very popular. Robertson also said that the i range is not about EVs, but new technologies.
That's why it's also important to continue using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic, a technology that BMW leads. With the i8 Spyder concept shown at CES, the company has also hinted that it wants mirrors to be made obsolete.
Unfortunately, the i5 is not on the fast track to launch. BMW could release it as a pure EV with a range of around 200 miles or use a PHEV system. Hydrogen is another technology the Bavarians are playing with, but Robertson believes next-gen batteries with higher capacity are the true game-changers.
The early rumors suggested the i5 would be a sedan to rival the Tesla Model S or a bigger i3. However, it's now believed that it will take the form of an all-electric crossover or SUV.
That's why we are showing you the renderings released today by RM Design. The designer combined elements from several cars to make the i5 appear futuristic. Of course, nobody knows what it will look like, but some family connections will exist. That's why the blocked-off kidney grilles and aero wheels make these images believable.
In an exclusive interview with Auto Express magazine, BMW's board member responsible for sales and marketing, Ian Robertson, divulged a few company secrets. He said no firm decision has yet been made, but the SUV route is preferred.
As emission regulations are tightening all over the world, BMW needs its electric vehicles to be very popular. Robertson also said that the i range is not about EVs, but new technologies.
That's why it's also important to continue using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic, a technology that BMW leads. With the i8 Spyder concept shown at CES, the company has also hinted that it wants mirrors to be made obsolete.
Unfortunately, the i5 is not on the fast track to launch. BMW could release it as a pure EV with a range of around 200 miles or use a PHEV system. Hydrogen is another technology the Bavarians are playing with, but Robertson believes next-gen batteries with higher capacity are the true game-changers.
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