New details of the BMW i5 have emerged via Car and Driver, with the publication claiming it will share components with the i3, have plenty of room for five passengers, generous luggage space and an electric range approaching 200 miles thanks to a larger lithium-ion battery pack. Where the i3 is a quirky city car and the i8 an expensive low-volume supercar, the i5 is being designed for the masses as BMW's EV division starts preparing for a greener future.

It will thus have more conventional styling, regular front-hinged rear doors, and be priced in line with the entry-level Tesla Model S. The BMW i5 could launch as early as 2016 as a 2017 model, starting at $50k, with a range-extender variant priced nearer to $60k.