Pro Drifters Helped BMW Develop The Electric i5

Ahead of its imminent reveal, BMW has released the first official images of the new electric 5 Series Sedan, known as the i5, and it's also provided a glimpse of what high-performance versions can do in the hands of professional drifters.

Even though the luxury EV still dons a considerable amount of camouflage, the German automaker has also taken the opportunity to reveal details about the stringent development process, which included stints in the icy climate of the Arctic Circle. In February 2022, the newcomer was subjected to a challenging road trip from Munich to BMW's test center in Arjeplog, Sweden.

The 1,850-mile, five-day drive put the electric motors and battery pack to the test and gave engineers an opportunity to evaluate crucial functions like the heating and cooling systems for both the battery pack and the cabin. Thanks to the fifth-generation eDrive system (enhanced for the i5), BMW claims the charging times were kept brief along the way, with the battery providing a suitable long-distance driving range, even in freezing weather.

Cold weather has the ability to affect an EVs range, but independent tests have shown BMW electric vehicles can still achieve respectable figures in challenging conditions.

It may be a large electric luxury sedan, but the i5 is, first and foremost, a BMW. That means it needs to handle well and possess dynamic capabilities that exceed those of its rivals. Once the prototype had reached Arjeplog, engineers put the chassis, steering, and brakes to the test, using the myriad iced-over surfaces to exploit any chinks in the i5's armor.

As mentioned by BMW, the "groundwork for the authoritative, assured and characteristically sporty handling of the new i5 were already laid in the first test drives." Ever since it hit the scene in 1972, it has been the benchmark for what a midsized sports sedan should drive like. As it enters the electric era, there's no way BMW would abandon these key characteristics.