BMW i5 electric lease

As part of the eight generation of the 5 Series saloon, German giants BMW have confirmed that customers will be able to choose an all-electric drivetrain. The first time the premium saloon has been made available with zero tailpipe emissions.

Initially, the saloon will be badged as an M Performance model, likely to be known as the BMW i5 M50 Performance - although this hasn't been confirmed as yet. And will join the likes of the i4 and i7 in BMW's electric range of non-SUV models.

The BMW i5 will come with a 81.2 kWh battery pack, which BMW says is the fifth-generation of its eDrive technology. While we don't yet know the real world range for the BMW i5, we expect a range of around 250 miles on a full charge.

Launching initially with two versions, the i5 eDrive 40 and i5 M60 xDrive, both versions are capable of accepting up to 250 kW DC power from an ultra-rapid charger. The entry-level eDrive 40 can accept 11 kW AC power as standard, or optionally be upgraded to 22 kW. Meanwhile, the range-topping M60 comes with 22 kW capability as standard. Word of warning though - most domestic AC home charging units will provide up to 7.3 kW regardless of the EV's capability.

Much like a Tesla, the car's sat nav can kick-start the battery's pre-conditioning before a planning charging stop. Saving on time and improving charging efficiency.