BMW has established a firm footing in the EV market with the recent introduction of the i8 and i3, but it could be on the verge of creating a more-conventional, higher-volume i-series EV based on the next-generation BMW 5 Series sedan. CAR Magazine is reporting that BMW is developing the new sedan – possibly called the i5 or the i7 – to go head-to-head with the Tesla Model S, and it could be previewed as a concept this fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
A production version of this plug-in car is expected to come in 2018, and it will likely use a more powerful version of the EV drive system currently in the i8. This would start with a larger-displacement gasoline engine acting as a generator, while the electric drive system could see a motor at each axle versus the i8’s front-axle-only setup. The article states that this car could very easily have a total system output of 544 horsepower along with an all-electric driving range of 80 miles.
While that range is far less than what the Model S currently offers, the range-extending engine would give the BMW the ability to drive longer distances and use gas for quick fill-ups rather than having to hunt for an EV charging station. As far as the styling is concerned, that’s still unknown, but the article does show a very interesting, i-inspired rendering.
Click past the jump to read more about BMW’s future plug-in hybrid model.
BMW's Tesla Model S Competitor Will Be Called i5 or i7 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 13 February 2015 07:00 EST.
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