There’s a thing or two about our new long-termer that seems a bit familiar… By John Challen.

BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport Pro

P11d (BIK): £77,050 (2%) RANGE: 357 miles ON FLEET: 285 miles EFFICIENCY: 3.1mpkWh

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The i5 was recently voted the best executive car on the market at the UK Car of the Year Awards, which are headed up by yours truly, alongside my fellow co-chairman – and also part of the Fleet World family – Alisdair Suttie.

And it’s very easy to see why the panel of 30 judges came to the conclusion that the electric 5 Series is at the top of its game. For one thing – and this might seem like an obvious thing to say – it’s JUST like a 5 Series, already a legendary model. I’ve spoken before about how BMW has arguably played it safe by converting the products it already had to EV, as opposed to more daring departures from the likes of the Korean manufacturers. And the i5 is a perfect example of how this pays dividends.

The interior layout, ride, driving experience (apart from the engine noise, obvs) is instantly recognisable. On the move, the i5 is quiet and comfortable, but also very competent. Should you wish to floor it – as you might have been tempted to in your ICE-powered ‘5’ – you can. There is plenty of power there – and plenty of miles in the battery, too. The most recent charge provided 261 miles, but another one the other week nudged that total closer to 300 miles. Either way, it’s more than adequate for a round-trip to Essex, from where I’m writing these words.

Even the ride quality stands up to scrutiny, with the i5’s 20-inch wheels coping well with some pretty horrendous road surfaces all over the country. It’s firm, sure, but not to the point of being uncomfortable. Mrs Challen is always a good benchmark of how a car rides – if she’s happy and doesn’t pass comment, then it must be pretty good.

In the end, the BMW didn’t claim the big prize at the UK Car of the Year Awards – that accolade went to the Kia EV9 – but it won over a lot of fans on the panel and will surely do so in the wider world, too.

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We don’t tend to get a lot of snow on the south coast of England, but the recent arrival of the cold white stuff coincided with the day the latest Fleet World long-termer rocked up at Challen Towers. However, the adverse weather conditions (it’s all relative) did little to dampen my enthusiasm for the electrified 5 Series.

First things first, the styling of the i5 at the front is a bit Marmite – that much was made clear to me, during one of my first trips out in the car, by an acquaintance from a rival manufacturer. The biggest issue that people seem to have is with the ‘grille’, which these days houses a wealth of ADAS sensors, neatly hidden behind a cover. Not really much BMW could’ve done about that, but it has got recent previous with unconventional front ends, so maybe the opposition is understandable. Overall, I think the i5 looks great, especially in ‘Carbon Black’ metallic paint (a £900 option), which actually has hints of blue in it. Red calipers and 20-inch multi-spoke alloys complete the imposing exterior look.

Inside, the ‘Burgundy Veganza’ upholstery is a no-cost option, unlike the panoramic glass sunroof (£1,600), sun protection glass (£470), Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system (£1,250) M Carbon exterior styling (£1,750) and more. Chuck in the Technology Plus and Comfort packs and the total on the road cost for YC73 WNU, with options, is £89,075.

For that money, though, there is almost everything you can wish for. Heated seats and steering wheel, lumbar support, adaptive LED headlights, wireless charging and much much more. The M Sport touches are obvious but, at the same time, subtle – you can’t escape those calipers but the coloured stitching on the seat belts is a nice example of attention to detail.

There’ll be a lot more to say about the driving experience but, safe to say, the i5 is very capable, comfortable and confidence-inspiring.

John Challen