The BMW i5 Touring has just been launched in Thailand, available in two variants with a starting price of THB 4,899,000 (approx. RM633,708). The two variants are the i5 eDrive40 M Sport Touring and the i5 eDrive40 M Sport Touring PRO. The price for the i5 Touring in Thailand tops out at THB 4,999,000 (approx. RM646,643) for the range-topping variant. Only 10 units of this electric wagon are available in Thailand with 7 units for the non-PRO variants and 3 units for the PRO variant.
In Malaysia, the i5 is only available in the sedan guise and it is sold in two variants – the i5 eDrive40 and the i5 M60 xDrive. The i5 Touring in Thailand shares the same underpinnings with the i5 eDrive40 sedan we have in Malaysia, albeit with a wagon body style.
The wagon body of the i5 Touring is its most remarkable design feature as an electric wagon isn’t something that comes by very often. The i5 Touring debuted a little later than its sedan counterpart and it exists alongside the petrol-powered 5 Series Touring. Besides the wagon rear end, it shares many similarities with the i5 sedan.
Powering the BMW i5 eDrive40 Touring is a rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup that puts out 340 hp and 400 Nm at maximum (in My Mode Sport). This propulsion setup allows for a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 6.1 seconds onward to a limited top speed of 193 km/h. Compared to its sedan counterpart, it is only 0.1 seconds slower in the century sprint.
As for its battery and range, the BMW i5 eDrive40 Touring gets an 81.2 kWh battery pack that allows for a WLTP range of 560 km. This large battery can be charged at a maximum rate of 22 kW with AC charging and 205 kW with DC charging. The former is able to juice up the car from 0 to 100% in 4 hours and 15 minutes while the latter is able to juice up the car from 0 to 80% in 30 minutes.
Inside, the i5 Touring sports the same interior design as the i5 sedan. It gets the same 7-series-inspired interaction bar, the same twin-screen setup, and the same physical controls on the centre console for the infotainment head unit.
While the BMW i5 Touring has just launched in Thailand, it is unlikely to make its way to Malaysia as wagons aren’t exactly the first choice for a family car for Malaysians. Wagon fans, do you think the i5 Touring should be made available in Malaysia too?
