BMW has previewed its first-ever fully electric 5 Series with a gallery of shots from some rather harsh winter testing.

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Due to launch towards the end of 2023, the i5 saloon will provide a rival to the Mercedes EQE and will form part of the new-generation 5 Series line-up alongside ICE and PHEV models. An i5 Touring fully electric estate is expected in 2024.

The electric 5 Series is based on the Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform, which supports everything from combustion engines to plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles such as the i7 and i4.

Powertrain details haven’t been revealed but it will use fifth-generation eDrive technology and the German brand has confirmed an M performance version will launch.

Dynamic winter testing for the i5 saloon has now finished after first starting in February 2022 with a 3,000km (1,850-mile) road trip from Munich to the BMW test centre at Arjeplog, northern Sweden, which BMW said showed the powertrain’s ability for “long ranges and short charging times”.

The test programme at Arjeplog then used the local snow-covered roads and frozen lakes to evaluate the interaction between chassis components, steering and braking systems, and driving dynamic and driving stability systems.

This was followed by more testing over the course of 2022, at other
BMW Group test facilities and around Munich and the BMW plant at Dingolfing to refine chassis technology, acoustic properties and the drive unit’s power delivery.

Last month saw testing return to near the Arctic Circle, fine-tuning powertrain and chassis control systems.

The i5 will join the iX1, i4, iX3 and iX and i7 later in 2023. The group is aiming for more than 50% of its sales volumes to come from fully electric vehicles no later than 2030.