Something Fancy for the Weekend – The BMW i5 eDrive
We here at Jensen Fleet have had some demo’s lately in house to try. The first one up if you fancy something nice for the weekend is the BMW i5 eDrive.
Here’s how we got on:
First up was the BMW i5 eDrive 40 M Sport Pro Touring finished in Phytonic Blue Metallic Paint.
First things first, this is an extremely attractive car which drew many an admiring glance when out on the road. I was even accosted by a gentleman asking about it whilst in the local supermarket car park. He had purchased the BMW i4 last year and we compared notes for a few minutes.
This i5 Touring is a refreshing change from the SUV body style which has been so popular in recent years. It’s a large car that ticks so many boxes, Refined, Comfortable, Spacious, Technology.
Granted there is a large price tag, and it may not fit into a lot of people’s budgets but for a car in this category, it’s a winner amongst its peers.
Sitting into the cabin, you are immediately drawn to the curved digital infotainment screens and the heads-up display which is easily configurable. As is the norm with most manufacturers in recent years, all controls can be accessed through the central screen. Thankfully, the main temperature and heated seat controls are a permanent fixture in the lower corners which allows quick and easy access saving the need to scan through multiple different screens just to make a minor change.
The car was fully charged when we first got the keys and a range of just under 500km was showing as available. The first day’s usage included some motorway driving mixed with urban traffic and average consumption of 18.4kWh / 100km was achieved. Different Drive modes were available which influenced the available range with the Economy mode offering a Range Extension function that gave information on how to eek out more Kms from the battery. The range went from 280km to 420km when activated. The opposite to this was the Boost paddle which engages a ten second countdown timer on the screen whilst deploying all available hp and torque to propel the car at full pelt with the BMW Iconic Sounds Electric soundtracking the experience.
Each Drive Mode gave the car its own Mood / Style with the Screens and Ambient Lighting reflecting each variant.
The important numbers on this car are:
81.2kWh usable battery
WLTP Range 560km
Max Power 340hp
Max Charging Speeds 205kw DC / 7.4 -22kWh AC.
Boot space 570 litres and 1700 litres with the rear seats folded down.
Pricing from €85,985. Test Car Price €96,570.
This car included options such as Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System, Technology Pack, Comfort Pack and Sun Protection Glass leaving a Total Retail Price of €103,734.
If you are interested in leasing an electric vehicle, please contact us in Jensen Fleet on 01-4605250 or info@jensenfleet.ie
