BMW i5 electric saloon on the way

BMW will finally launch its all-electric mid-sized saloon 2019, sources in Germany have admitted.

While it used the i8 supercar to shine a light on its electric technology and used the i3 city car as a radical benchmark to introduce the i brand, the next model will be infinitely more practical.

The i3’s ungainly reverse-opening doors will be abandoned so rear-seat passengers will finally be able to let themselves out, and don’t expect the radical concept-car looks of the i8, either.

Instead, BMW is expected to deliver an i5 in a more conventional three-box saloon shape, complete with either a full battery-electric or a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

While BMW is working to become more involved in moves towards hydrogen fuel cell technology, that won’t be a production reality until about 2020 or 2021. In the meantime, the i5 will work on a latest generation lithium-ion battery for its pure electric model.

Both models will be all-wheel drive, with the battery electric (BEV) version pumping twisting the rear wheels with a two-speed transmission and about 170kW from its electric motor. Up front will be a 100kW electric motor, driving the front wheels and there’s obviously no mechanical connection between the two.

The plug-in hybrid version will use just one electric motor, driving the front axle, with a version of the i8’s layout delivering either three- or four-cylinder petrol power at the rear.

The lithium-ion battery pack will line up in the floor of the car, which will be designed specifically for the i5 and won’t be shared with any other production BMW.

That’s because it will be carbon-fibre and that’s expensive and usually low volume. BMW thinks it’s got both problems solved after working on the i3 and i8, though it’ll need more volume from the i5 than either of the first i models have delivered so far if it wants to keep its supplier base on side.

Don’t expect a full carbon car format, though, with sources indicating a mix of aluminium and carbon, like it uses in the i3, is more economical and therefore more likely.

Even so, that means the five-seat sedan should tip the scales south of the 1600kg barrier, even though it will run the full luxury spec you’d expect out of a 5-Series.

The i5 was a pet project of former BMW boss, Norbert Reithofer, but so were the Z2 and the 2-Series GT, both of which have been shelved or cancelled by the new BMW board member for development, Klaus Fröhlich.

The i5 has so far escaped the carnage and is still slated to go head-to-head with Tesla’s model S by 2019.