All-electric BMW i5 Completes Winter Testing

As we wait for the official debut of the new BMW 5-series, it is getting closer thanks to the completion of the winter testing.

Covering the Arctic Circle and the foothills of the Alps, the new all-electric BMW i5 has completed the toughest of challenges for new cars – winter testing. This is especially important for the new 5-series to see how the batteries and drivetrain cope during the colder months and winter climates.

With testing lasting around a year, BMW seem confident in their fine-tuning of the chassis and power delivery in slippery conditions. Speaking about the control, BMW stated; ‘The innovative powertrain and chassis control systems on board the new BMW i5 do a great deal to optimise its traction, dynamism and driving stability, and nowhere is this more apparent than on a solid blanket of snow, icy mountain roads or frozen lakes’.

Still no official word on the drivetrain, but it is highly likely we can expect some form of AWD system given the amount of low-friction testing that has occured. The press release is very carefully worded as to not allude to the actual drivetrain specifics but it does say; ‘The BMW i5 serves up a harmonious blend of optimum traction when pulling away and supreme driving stability when cornering or braking, which is unique in the competitive environment.’ Sounds almost like an AWD system would do that, don’t you think?

We will wait patiently for the global debut of the new 5-series and specifically, the i5. But this is promising, as the spy shots seem to suggest a normal, conventional looking electric vehicle is coming. We also know that it will be available in Touring guise!