The BMW X5 has been offering a unique blend of sophisticated luxury and sublime driving dynamics since its release in 1999. Now, an electric powertrain has found its way under the latest fifth-generation model's reworked sheet metal for the first time. The new BMW iX5 adopts the company's Neue Klasse styling language, which is proliferating throughout the brand's contemporary lineup. Its underlying electric architecture is more advanced than anything that has come out of Munich thus far.
At launch, the iX5 60 xDrive will be the only model available, topping the entire X5 trim hierarchy with its 578-horsepower dual-motor electric powertrain. A 141-kilowatt-hour battery pack comprised of cylindrical cells is said to afford the 60 xDrive an estimated 435 miles of range, and its 800-volt architecture should yield some blazing-fast DC charge times.
Expert Tip: If you like the idea of having some electric driving capability but aren’t ready to commit to a full EV just yet, the 2027 BMW X5 will also be available as a plug-in hybrid.
View Price on AmazonThe iX5 60 xDrive features one electric motor on each axle, granting it all-wheel drive. The one at the rear serves as the primary drive motor, delivering 325 horsepower to the rear wheels. The front motor can decouple under low-load conditions and re-engage when its additional 245 horsepower is called upon.
On our recent test drive of the entire range of 2027 X5 prototypes, including an iX5, we were impressed with its immaculate ride-and-handling balance. Standard active anti-roll bars did an impressive job at mitigating body roll, and our test model's air springs and adaptive dampers kept the ride plush and sumptuous. The steering felt pinpoint accurate, and despite the iX5's prodigious mass, it felt much smaller to pilot than its size would suggest.
In comparison, BMW predicts that the iX5 60 xDrive will be able to dash to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, which should shake out to a 0-60 mph time somewhere in the low-to-mid 4s.
The maximum towing capacity of the iX5 is a reasonably stout 6,000 pounds. The Porsche Cayenne Electric has it beat, though, boasting a 7,716-pound max towing figure.
According to BMW, the iX5's large 144-kilowatt-hour battery pack with its new-and-improved cylindrical cells should grant the 60 xDrive 435 miles based on the EPA testing cycle. We'll have to wait until we get one in for testing to confirm that claim.
With a maximum charge rate of 460 kilowatts, BMW says that charging from 10 to 80 percent takes just 22 minutes, and that 170 miles of range can be added in only 10 minutes on a high-output DC fast charger. A NACS port comes standard. The iX5 is also capable of bidirectional charging, meaning that power can flow out of the onboard battery to power external devices.
The iX5's interior has been entirely revamped as a part of the larger X5 lineup's generational redesign. As is to be expected from BMW, the pillars of a luxury cabin are present; the interior feels well-constructed from premium materials, the cabin layout is attractive and ergonomically pleasing, and standard front seats are upholstered in either Veganza or optional BMW Individual Merino leather.
Source: caranddriver.com
