The BMW 5-Series remains one of the most important luxury sedans in the world, and its electric version is now being put to the test in a more rational, mid-range form. We have already driven the range-topping M60 xDrive variants of the BMW i5, both as a sedan and as a Touring, but this time we focus on the BMW i5 xDrive40. With 19-inch wheels and summer tires, we wanted to see just how efficient this version is in ideal conditions and whether it makes a stronger case than the more powerful alternatives.
The price gap between the xDrive40 and the M60 xDrive is substantial, at roughly £21,300, which makes the efficiency question even more relevant. The faster versions we tested previously were driven during colder winter months, so those results naturally come with caveats. This test, however, was conducted in much friendlier conditions, giving a clearer idea of what the i5 xDrive40 can achieve when the weather is on its side.
For this evaluation, we followed our standard real-world test route, driving the same road in both directions at steady speeds and keeping the pace consistent with every other car we test. The ambient temperature during this run was 73°F, which is close to ideal for an electric vehicle efficiency test.
A complete review of the 2026 BMW i5 xDrive40 will follow soon. In the meantime, this range test gives a solid early look at how the car performs when conditions are favorable and how it stacks up against key rivals.
Using the figures gathered during this test, we can also offer a real-world range simulation tool. It allows users to explore how the i5 xDrive40 might perform across different speeds and temperatures, making it easier to estimate range in a wide variety of driving scenarios.
At our lowest test speed of 37 mph, the i5 xDrive40 proves to be one of the most efficient sedans we have tested. In fact, it shares the top spot for efficiency in the sedan segment with the Tesla Model 3 Highland. Still, because both cars use slightly smaller batteries than some heavier, more consumption-focused rivals, their absolute range figures are not always the highest despite excellent efficiency.
Range test results
37 mph results
DS Nº8 AWD Long Range 656 miles 6.8 mi/kWh 68°F
BMW iX3 50 xDrive (Summer tires 21") 637 miles 5.9 mi/kWh 68°F
Lucid Air Grand Touring 620 miles 5.5 mi/kWh 55°F- BMW iX3 50 xDrive (Winter tires 20") 558 miles 5.1 mi/kWh 52°F
Zeekr 7GT Privilege AWD 554 miles 5.8 mi/kWh 75°F
Volvo EX90 Performance 554 miles 5.2 mi/kWh 73°F
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ 544 miles 5.1 mi/kWh 70°F
Mercedes CLA 350 4Matic 539 miles 6.3 mi/kWh 54°F
BMW i7 xDrive60 518 miles 5.1 mi/kWh 75°F
BMW i5 xDrive40 510 miles 6.3 mi/kWh 73°F
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic 502 miles 4.3 mi/kWh 61°F
Mercedes-Benz GLB 350 4Matic 498 miles 5.9 mi/kWh 66°F
Tesla Model 3 LR 488 miles 6.3 mi/kWh 90°F
Kia EV4 Long Range 464 miles 5.7 mi/kWh 46°F
MG S5 EV Long Range 459 miles 7.4 mi/kWh 79°F
Maserati Grecale Folgore 457 miles 4.8 mi/kWh 88°F
Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023) 452 miles 6 mi/kWh 100°F
Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD 440 miles 5.9 mi/kWh 75°F
Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD 439 miles 4.6 mi/kWh 52°F
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Performance 437 miles 4.1 mi/kWh 57°F
Volkswagen ID.7 Pro 435 miles 5.6 mi/kWh 63°F
Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast 429 miles 3.5 mi/kWh 70°F
Jeep Compass FWD 420 miles 5.7 mi/kWh 45°F
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX 419 miles 5.5 mi/kWh 63°F
Renault Scenic E-Tech Long range 416 miles 4.8 mi/kWh 43°F
Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD 409 miles 4.7 mi/kWh 52°F
Nissan Micra EV 52 kWh 409 miles 7.9 mi/kWh 75°F
BMW i5 M60 Touring 407 miles 5 mi/kWh 57°F
BMW iX2 xDrive30 399 miles 6.2 mi/kWh 68°F
Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used) 393 miles 5.9 mi/kWh 73°F
Peugeot e-3008 GT Electric 383 miles 5.4 mi/kWh 46°F
Volkswagen ID.Buzz 383 miles 5 mi/kWh 68°F
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N 379 miles 4.7 mi/kWh 82°F
Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh 378 miles 5.9 mi/kWh 52°F
Renault 5 E-Tech 367 miles 7.1 mi/kWh 66°F
Hyundai Ioniq 5 77.4 kWh AWD 361 miles 4.8 mi/kWh 73°F
Polestar 2 354 miles 4.9 mi/kWh 59°F- BMW i5 M60 353 miles 4.3 mi/kWh 37°F
Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh 350 miles 5.4 mi/kWh 52°F
Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic 343 miles 3.8 mi/kWh 77°F
Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 336 miles 6.1 mi/kWh 86°F
Mini Cooper SE 336 miles 6.8 mi/kWh 64°F
Mini Countryman SE ALL4 334 miles 5.2 mi/kWh 59°F
Lynk & Co 02 328 miles 5 mi/kWh 52°F
Peugeot e-2008 326 miles 6.4 mi/kWh 63°F
Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ technology 324 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 39°F
Jeep Avenger 323 miles 6.3 mi/kWh 79°F
Volvo EX30 Performance 301 miles 4.7 mi/kWh 64°F
Ford Puma Gen-E 297 miles 6.9 mi/kWh 43°F
Mini Aceman JCW E 294 miles 6 mi/kWh 70°F
Hyundai Inster Long Range 291 miles 6.3 mi/kWh 81°F
Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce 279 miles 5.5 mi/kWh 57°F
Fiat 500e 276 miles 7.4 mi/kWh 68°F
Lynk & Co 08 216 miles 5.5 mi/kWh 45°F
56 mph results
- Lucid Air Grand Touring 467 miles 4.2 mi/kWh 55°F
- BMW iX3 50 xDrive (Summer tires 21") 466 miles 4.3 mi/kWh 68°F
- Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ 455 miles 4.2 mi/kWh 70°F
- Volvo EX90 Performance 433 miles 4.1 mi/kWh 73°F
- BMW iX3 50 xDrive (Winter tires 20") 416 miles 3.8 mi/kWh 52°F
- Mercedes CLA 350 4Matic 413 miles 4.9 mi/kWh 54°F
- BMW i7 xDrive60 400 miles 3.9 mi/kWh 75°F
- DS Nº8 AWD Long Range 392 miles 4 mi/kWh 68°F
- Tesla Model 3 LR 371 miles 4.8 mi/kWh 90°F
- Zeekr 7GT Privilege AWD 363 miles 3.8 mi/kWh 75°F
- Mercedes-Benz GLB 350 4Matic 362 miles 4.3 mi/kWh 66°F
- BMW i5 xDrive40 360 miles 4.4 mi/kWh 73°F
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD 350 miles 4.7 mi/kWh 75°F
- Maserati Grecale Folgore 347 miles 3.7 mi/kWh 88°F
- Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic 344 miles 2.9 mi/kWh 61°F
- Hyundai Ioniq 9 Performance 342 miles 3.2 mi/kWh 57°F
- Renault Scenic E-Tech Long range 340 miles 3.9 mi/kWh 43°F
- Volkswagen ID.7 Pro 334 miles 4.3 mi/kWh 63°F
- Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023) 328 miles 4.4 mi/kWh 100°F
- Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast 327 miles 2.7 mi/kWh 70°F
- BMW i5 M60 Touring 323 miles 4 mi/kWh 57°F
- Kia EV4 Long Range 320 miles 3.9 mi/kWh 46°F
- Volkswagen ID.4 GTX 315 miles 4.1 mi/kWh 63°F
- Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD 308 miles 2.9 mi/kWh 52°F
- BMW iX2 xDrive30 301 miles 4.6 mi/kWh 68°F
- Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh 299 miles 4.7 mi/kWh 52°F
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 77.4 kWh AWD 299 miles 4 mi/kWh 73°F
- Peugeot e-3008 GT Electric 296 miles 4.2 mi/kWh 46°F
- Volkswagen ID.Buzz 293 miles 3.8 mi/kWh 68°F
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 N 291 miles 3.6 mi/kWh 82°F
- BMW i5 M60 286 miles 3.5 mi/kWh 37°F
- Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh 286 miles 4.4 mi/kWh 52°F
- Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD 286 miles 3.3 mi/kWh 52°F
- Nissan Micra EV 52 kWh 278 miles 5.4 mi/kWh 75°F
- Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic 275 miles 3 mi/kWh 77°F
- MG S5 EV Long Range 272 miles 4.4 mi/kWh 79°F
- Jeep Compass FWD 270 miles 3.7 mi/kWh 45°F
- Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used) 265 miles 4 mi/kWh 73°F
- Renault 5 E-Tech 257 miles 4.9 mi/kWh 66°F
- Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 255 miles 4.3 mi/kWh 86°F
- Mini Countryman SE ALL4 254 miles 3.9 mi/kWh 59°F
- Lynk & Co 02 249 miles 3.8 mi/kWh 52°F
- Polestar 2 241 miles 3.3 mi/kWh 59°F
- Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ technology 239 miles 2.1 mi/kWh 39°F
- Mini Cooper SE 237 miles 4.8 mi/kWh 64°F
- Volvo EX30 Performance 229 miles 3.6 mi/kWh 64°F
- Hyundai Inster Long Range 229 miles 5 mi/kWh 81°F
- Mini Aceman JCW E 218 miles 4.4 mi/kWh 70°F
- Jeep Avenger 217 miles 4.3 mi/kWh 79°F
- Peugeot e-2008 216 miles 4.3 mi/kWh 63°F
- Ford Puma Gen-E 214 miles 5 mi/kWh 43°F
- Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce 196 miles 3.9 mi/kWh 57°F
- Fiat 500e 181 miles 4.9 mi/kWh 68°F
- Lynk & Co 08 136 miles 3.4 mi/kWh 45°F
81 mph results
- Lucid Air Grand Touring 333 miles 3 mi/kWh 55°F
- Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ 324 miles 3 mi/kWh 70°F
- BMW i7 xDrive60 314 miles 3.1 mi/kWh 75°F
- BMW iX3 50 xDrive (Summer tires 21") 304 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 68°F
- Mercedes CLA 350 4Matic 290 miles 3.4 mi/kWh 54°F
- BMW iX3 50 xDrive (Winter tires 20") 285 miles 2.6 mi/kWh 52°F
- Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast 275 miles 2.2 mi/kWh 70°F
- DS Nº8 AWD Long Range 275 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 68°F
- Volvo EX90 Performance 263 miles 2.5 mi/kWh 73°F
- Tesla Model 3 LR 263 miles 3.4 mi/kWh 90°F
- Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic 254 miles 2.2 mi/kWh 61°F
- Zeekr 7GT Privilege AWD 250 miles 2.6 mi/kWh 75°F
- BMW i5 xDrive40 246 miles 3 mi/kWh 73°F
- Mercedes-Benz GLB 350 4Matic 241 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 66°F
- Hyundai Ioniq 9 Performance 237 miles 2.2 mi/kWh 57°F
- Maserati Grecale Folgore 235 miles 2.5 mi/kWh 88°F
- Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic 231 miles 2.4 mi/kWh 77°F
- Renault Scenic E-Tech Long range 227 miles 2.7 mi/kWh 43°F
- Volkswagen ID.7 Pro 226 miles 2.9 mi/kWh 63°F
- Kia EV4 Long Range 215 miles 2.6 mi/kWh 46°F
- BMW i5 M60 Touring 213 miles 2.6 mi/kWh 57°F
- Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used) 212 miles 3.2 mi/kWh 73°F
- Volkswagen ID.4 GTX 210 miles 2.7 mi/kWh 63°F
- Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD 209 miles 2.4 mi/kWh 52°F
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD 209 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 75°F
- Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023) 208 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 100°F
- BMW i5 M60 204 miles 2.5 mi/kWh 37°F
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 N 204 miles 2.6 mi/kWh 82°F
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 77.4 kWh AWD 199 miles 2.7 mi/kWh 73°F
- Peugeot e-3008 GT Electric 195 miles 2.7 mi/kWh 46°F
- BMW iX2 xDrive30 189 miles 2.9 mi/kWh 68°F
- Polestar 2 186 miles 2.6 mi/kWh 59°F
- MG S5 EV Long Range 182 miles 2.9 mi/kWh 79°F
- Mini Countryman SE ALL4 180 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 59°F
- Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD 180 miles 1.9 mi/kWh 52°F
- Jeep Compass FWD 178 miles 2.4 mi/kWh 45°F
- Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh 175 miles 2.7 mi/kWh 52°F
- Lynk & Co 02 170 miles 2.6 mi/kWh 52°F
- Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 170 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 86°F
- Nissan Micra EV 52 kWh 169 miles 3.3 mi/kWh 75°F
- Volkswagen ID.Buzz 163 miles 2.1 mi/kWh 68°F
- Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh 162 miles 2.5 mi/kWh 52°F
- Mini Cooper SE 157 miles 3.2 mi/kWh 64°F
- Volvo EX30 Performance 156 miles 2.6 mi/kWh 64°F
- Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ technology 153 miles 1.3 mi/kWh 39°F
- Renault 5 E-Tech 150 miles 2.9 mi/kWh 66°F
- Mini Aceman JCW E 146 miles 3 mi/kWh 70°F
- Peugeot e-2008 144 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 63°F
- Jeep Avenger 142 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 79°F
- Hyundai Inster Long Range 139 miles 3 mi/kWh 81°F
- Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce 129 miles 2.5 mi/kWh 57°F
- Ford Puma Gen-E 121 miles 2.8 mi/kWh 43°F
- Fiat 500e 119 miles 3.2 mi/kWh 68°F
- Lynk & Co 08 96 miles 2.4 mi/kWh 45°F
As the pace rises to 56 mph, the effects of all-wheel drive, substantial curb weight, and a comparatively upright luxury sedan body become more noticeable. Efficiency drops, and the total range decreases accordingly. Even so, the results remain stronger than the official WLTP figure, which is a noteworthy accomplishment.
At our highest test speed of 81 mph, energy consumption stays within a reasonable range. It is broadly average for this class, but because several rivals benefit from larger battery packs, the i5 xDrive40 slips a little lower in the overall range rankings.
Where the BMW i5 xDrive40 clearly stands out against the M60 versions is efficiency. Its less powerful motors require less energy to maintain momentum, making it the better choice for drivers who prioritize distance over outright performance. That said, the single-motor eDrive40 remains the most efficient version of the lineup.
At that point, the buying decision becomes less about pure consumption and more about priorities. Is the price premium for the M60 worth it? Does the extra performance justify the reduced range? And is xDrive really necessary for your typical driving conditions?
Depending on how you answer those questions, BMW has a different i5 to suit your needs. Still, one improvement would make the car significantly more compelling: a larger battery. The current 81.2 kWh pack is no longer quite enough to match some of the latest rivals, and it is one of the main reasons the i5 has not achieved the same sales momentum as certain competitors.
With the range estimation tool, you can explore how the 2026 BMW i5 xDrive40 would perform across a wide variety of speeds and temperatures. The estimates are based on our real-world testing and a detailed model designed to reflect actual driving results as closely as possible.
