BMW Board Member Teases What’s Next for Innovative i Line of Electric Vehicles
What form will the rumored i5 take?
Ian Robertson, the BMW Group’s board member for sales and marketing, recently spoke with Autocar about the inevitable expansion of the BMW i lineup: what many are expecting to be badged the i5. While no official decision has been made, Robertson suggests that two potential new i vehicles are being considered for the nameplate: a lengthened version of the i3 and a sedan that would go head-to-head with Tesla’s upcoming Model 3.
The team at auto motor und sport have rendered one version of what this might look like (seen above). But at this point, anything's possible.
BMW’s centenary is coming up this spring, which seems a likely time to unveil what could be the automaker’s most advanced vehicle yet. Robertson himself says, “We will look back 100 years at that point, but mainly into the future.”
Meanwhile, the popularity of BMW’s existing i models is growing. “[Sales] of the i3 are up 60% year on year and it’s the third best-selling EV in the world,” says Robertson. “We’re convinced the i steps have been right.”
These numbers suggest that customers’ concerns over electric vehicles (especially range anxiety) may be lessening as technology and infrastructure increase. That’s likely to continue with the “i5,” which is expected to house a larger battery pack and thus boast a higher driving range.
While this is all speculation at this point, we don’t have much longer to wait until BMW’s 100th anniversary celebrations begin. At BMW of Silver Spring, our fingers are crossed we hear something more then.
Image: auto motor und sport via BMWBLOG