If you’re in the market for a BMW i5 and efficiency is a top priority, the M60 is the worst choice. It’s especially true if you opt for 21-inch wheels since the range drops to 240 miles. With the 20-inch set, the EPA has listed the M Performance electric 5 Series at 248 miles. Stick to the smaller 19-inch wheels and you should have enough juice for 256 miles.
Edmunds had the opportunity to perform a range test with the least efficient electric 5er by evaluating the i5 M60 with 21-inch wheels. Interestingly, the journalists were able to not only beat the EPA estimate but also exceed the range listed for the versions with the smaller wheels. During the Edmunds EV Range Test, the car did 264 miles on a single charge. It almost matched the 270-mile range of the lesser i5 eDrive40 fitted with 21-inch alloys.
Of course, Edmunds’ testing methodology differs from that of the EPA. The long-termer i5 M60 averaged 40 mph and was driven 60% of the time in the city. It spent the other 40% on the highway. As you can imagine, the EV was driven with the most efficient driving mode available turned on. BMW’s sporty 5 Series EV used 35 kWh for every 100 miles, or 5 kWh less than the data provided by the EPA.
The test was conducted with maximum regenerative braking and the car never exceeded 5 mph of the speed limit. Each EV trialed by Edmunds returns to the company’s headquarters with up to 10 miles of range so that they avoid getting stranded.
The i5 M60 isn’t the only electric BMW to overachieve. The iX xDrive50 did 377 miles instead of EPA’s 315-mile rating. In addition, the iX M60 covered 325 miles rather than 274 miles. The list goes on with the i5 eDrive40 (321 vs 270 miles) and the i7 xDrive60 (320 vs 308 miles). We can also mention the i4 eDrive40 (307 vs 270 miles) and the i4 M50 (268 vs 227 miles).
Source: Edmunds
