BMW India surprised everyone. What was billed as an X1 LWB launch also brought the i5 Long Wheelbase electric sedan, priced at ₹79.60 lakh ex-showroom. That's just ₹3 lakh over the petrol 5 Series, deliveries have already started, and it's built at BMW's Chennai plant. One thing to clear up first: this new eDrive 35L (272 PS, rear-wheel drive) is a very different car from the ₹1.19 crore M60 xDrive already in our catalogue.
BMW i5 price in India: eDrive 35L vs M60 xDrive, which is which?
The new i5 LWB comes in a single eDrive 35L M Sport trim at ₹79.60 lakh (ex-showroom). A limited First Edition launched at the same price, but all 99 units sold out before launch, so you can't buy one now. The M60 xDrive in our catalogue is the halo variant at ₹1.19 crore, a ₹40 lakh jump. If you're searching "bmw i5 price in india" and see both, here's the split: ₹79.60 lakh gets you the value single-motor LWB, ₹1.19 crore gets the twin-motor performance beast. On-road price will be higher after road tax, registration and insurance, and that varies by state.
BMW i5 specifications: 272 PS RWD vs the M60's 593 bhp
The eDrive 35L uses an 81.6 kWh battery with a single rear-wheel-drive motor. Peak power is 272 PS (about 264 bhp) with 410 Nm of torque (pulling power). It does 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds (how fast it hits highway speed) and tops out at 195 km/h. The M60 xDrive in our data is a different animal: 593 bhp (442 kW) and 795 Nm from twin motors and all-wheel drive. So the LWB is tuned for smooth, comfortable executive travel, not the M60's rocket-launch thrill.
BMW i5 range and charging: 669 km claim, real-world math
BMW claims 669 km on the MIDC cycle (a government test, always higher than real driving). Expect roughly 450-480 km in real conditions, less on the highway with the air-con running hard, more in the city. Fast charging is strong: a 160 kW DC charger takes the battery from 10% to 80% in 33 minutes, enough for a coffee stop on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Home AC charging runs at 11 kW, and BMW throws in a wallbox charger with installation. Note that the ex-showroom price does not include home charger installation costs beyond that.
BMW i5 interior and features: 3105 mm wheelbase, rear-seat luxury
The whole point of the LWB is the back seat. The wheelbase stretches to 3105 mm, giving proper limousine-style legroom, sculpted rear seats with extra cushioning and a 31-degree recline. Up front sits a 12.3-inch driver display and a 14.9-inch touchscreen on BMW OS 8.5, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard kit includes four-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, a panoramic glass roof, and a 17-speaker, 655-watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system. The adaptive rear-axle air suspension has been tuned for our rough roads, so speed-breakers should feel far gentler.
BMW i5 vs Mercedes E-Class vs Lexus ES 500e: where it sits
At ₹79.60 lakh, the i5 LWB actually undercuts the petrol Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which starts at ₹81.50 lakh and goes up to ₹95 lakh. Mercedes hasn't launched its electric E-Class in India yet, so the i5 is the only made-in-India luxury EV sedan right now. The Lexus ES 500e sits at ₹89.99 lakh, nearly ₹10 lakh dearer. For the M60 xDrive buyer, note it's ₹13.22 lakh pricier than the petrol Audi RS5 (₹1.07 crore) but delivers far more power. The LWB's local-assembly pricing is the real headline here.
BMW i5 running cost and warranty: cheap to run, no cash subsidy
Charging at home, an EV like this costs roughly ₹1-1.5 per km, against ₹8-10 per km for a petrol luxury sedan. Over a year of city driving, that's a big saving on fuel bills. The high-voltage battery gets an eight-year or 1.6 lakh km warranty, which covers most owners comfortably. One important point: there's no central government cash subsidy on electric cars. You may get state road-tax or registration waivers in Delhi, Maharashtra or Gujarat, but the amounts differ, so check with your local RTO.
Should you buy the BMW i5 LWB eDrive 35L now?
If you want a spacious, refined electric executive sedan and don't need brutal speed, the eDrive 35L at ₹79.60 lakh makes strong sense. It's only ₹3 lakh over the petrol 5 Series, it's made in India, and deliveries are immediate. The honest niggle: 272 PS RWD won't thrill anyone chasing the M60's twin-motor punch. So if performance is your priority, the M60 xDrive is already on sale at ₹1.19 crore. For a chauffeur-driven owner who values the back seat and low running costs, the eDrive 35L LWB is the one to pick.
References: BMW India — official website
