BMW i5
It’s
been rumored since about 2012 that BMW would eventually plug the gap between
the i3 and i8 bookend models of its eco-focused i range with a new model dubbed
the i5.
Although
an i5 SUV is yet to be confirmed, Auto Express has information from insiders at
BMW that an SUV bodystyle is shaping up to be the most popular option for the
vehicle. This makes sense as the SUV segment has the greatest potential for
growth in the coming years, especially in China where there are also
substantial incentives for zero- and low-emission vehicles. Germany is also
looking at incentives to help get its electric car sales up to a million units
annually by 2020.
Tesla’s
Model X, though more of a high-riding hatch than an SUV, is already available
and Audi has confirmed plans to launch an electric SUV by 2018. Rival luxury
marques Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz are also thought to be looking at electric
SUVs of their own.
Whatever
bodystyle the i5 ends up featuring, one thing is clear: BMW plans to offer much
more zero-emission vehicles.
