Is the BMW i5 Tesla's strongest rival?

For a long time, there have been constant speculations about the third model in the BMW i series. In addition to the hot-selling i8 and i3, the identity of the i5 has always been a mystery. In fact, in the planning of the i series, neither the i3 nor the i8 will enter the mainstream market. These two cars are more like strategic products for BMW to test the new energy market and respond to the increasingly stringent environmental standards of the European Union.

The so-called Life/Drive dual-module design concept is just an upgrade of materials based on the load-bearing body. In terms of the most critical range and cost-effectiveness, the i series does not represent the future of BMW. Instead, the development of the i5 has attracted much attention. It was once considered a product that BMW used to compete with Tesla Model S.

In the two years since its launch, the i3 has won 28,000 orders. However, in the most promising Chinese market, it does not even have the most basic subsidies. The i8, which costs as much as $135,000, has received more than 7,000 orders so far, which is a good result in the quasi-supercar field.

Even so, neither the i3 nor the i8 are mainstream products. People hope to see BMW's new i division launch a "hot product" to fight Tesla in the luxury electric car field for the traditional auto industry. The i5, which the media has been "fantasizing about", is meeting this expectation.

There are many rumors about the i5. Some people speculate that it will be a pure electric car, while others believe that BMW will use a hybrid system; some even believe that the i5 may be a hydrogen-powered car. As for the launch time, some speculate that it will be in 2018, while others say it will be around 2020.

In short, one thing is certain, that is, the third product of the BMW i series must be the i5. The i5 will also compete with the luxury electric vehicle market opened up by Tesla to some extent.

I personally think that the launch of the BMW i5 will have a strong impact on the C-class luxury electric car market that the Model S has long occupied. The i5 will also be the first powerful response made by traditional automakers in the face of Tesla's continuous erosion in the electric car market. Combining technology and market reality, we might as well make a guess about the i5.

First, in terms of power system, the BMW i5 will be a plug-in hybrid vehicle, not a pure electric vehicle. The reason is that BMW has invested a lot of money and energy in the eDrive hybrid system, but is not at the leading level in the field of pure electric vehicles. If the i5 adopts the eDrive system, it can not only overcome the shortcoming of battery life, but also help control manufacturing costs.

However, this eDrive system will be very different from the current X5 xDrive 40e or 5 Series plug-in hybrid. It is expected that the i5's battery capacity will be large, above 10kWh, enough to support at least 80km of pure electric range. At the same time, it will be equipped with a 3-cylinder or 4-cylinder gasoline engine for direct vehicle drive and power generation.

As the second generation of eDrive technology, the system will be somewhat similar to eCVT technology in terms of the coordination between the motor and the engine. That is, the engine will only work during high-speed cruising (equivalent to the highest gear) or rapid acceleration, and the rest of the time will be used for charging. This means that the i5 may be equipped with a transmission similar to eCVT, without a traditional 6-speed or 8-speed gearbox.

According to the design of the BMW 5 Series GT Power eDrive concept car, the new generation of eDrive system will be equipped with a 20kWh battery pack.

Secondly, in terms of vehicle platform, if the i5 adopts the eDrive system, it is very likely to be built on the new generation 5 Series platform. Building on the 5 Series platform means that the i5 will be fundamentally different from the i3 and i8, two futuristic models. Compared with the latter two, the i5 has a higher cost-effectiveness and is more suitable for being a mass-produced car assembled globally and launched into the mass market.

Built on the new 5 Series platform, the i5 will not adopt the "high-end" Life/Drive dual-module design, but will be a regular passenger car that focuses on cost control. Compared to the i8, which is close to the price of two Model S cars, the i5 will be priced at around $65,000, which is higher than the 5 Series but lower than the 7 Series.

Finally, in terms of infrastructure construction, due to the hybrid design, the charging network does not restrict the activity radius of the i5. In addition to installing BMW's wall-mounted charging pile in the user's garage, when traveling, you can rely on BMW's own charging stations or third-party charging services for charging. Even in remote areas, the engine can charge the battery in real time.

Therefore, the eDrive hybrid mode not only guarantees the driving range, but also does not form a reliance on the charging network. This is crucial for BMW to seize Tesla's market in a short period of time. From the user experience, according to the positioning of the i5, this is bound to be a performance model.

According to the data of the 5 Series GT eDrive prototype, the second-generation eDrive system can achieve an overall output of 700hp. Such parameters are directly comparable to the Tesla Model S P85D. Therefore, in terms of power performance alone, the i5 is definitely not inferior to Tesla, and there is no range anxiety.

In addition to eDrive, BMW's excellent steering system, manufacturing process, headlight technology, and carbon fiber technology will all be fully reflected in the i5. Coupled with brand awareness, Tesla Model S has encountered a strong rival for the first time.

Two motors provide high-power electric output, and one engine provides gasoline power output. In this way, the i5 not only has the fierce acceleration of the Tesla motor in the first half, but the supplement of the engine also makes up for the weakness of the motor in the second half. Although the powertrain is much more complicated than Tesla, the user experience is unprecedented.

In addition to surpassing Tesla in terms of power, battery life, and workmanship, the design of the BMW i5 will also affect many details. For example, the heating of the air conditioner in winter. For Tesla, its heating depends on PTC, which consumes a lot of electricity; while the i5 has an engine, so it can directly use the heat of the engine.

However, due to the complex powertrain design, the i5 will be at a disadvantage compared to Tesla in terms of subsequent costs such as maintenance and repair. Currently, Tesla provides free maintenance services to its users except for repairs.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.