The BMW i5 electric sedan is shedding its camouflage ahead of an expected reveal in 2023.
Our spy photographers have captured two different BMW i5s being driven off a transporter truck. One was covered in the typical black-and-white camouflage, and the other was draped in a thin cover.
The papers stuck to the vehicles’ windscreens reveal one is a high-performance i5 M60 variant and the other is an i5 40.
i5 40
The cover on the BMW i5 40 was rolled up on the driver’s side, exposing some of the sheet metal.
The car features flush-fitting door handles like those on the new 2 Series coupe and 4 Series Gran Coupe.
The camouflaged i5 M60 was also wearing less camouflage than previous prototypes.
i5 M60 
Up front, the closed double-kidney grille can be seen with stylised crossbars, as well as the covered M badge on the right-hand side.
Production-ready headlights and tail lights are also visible.
There are still a lot of details hidden by the camouflage on this prototype, but it most likely won’t be long until we see some more.
It’s expected the i5 M60 will be the flagship all-electric variant, whereas the i5 40 will most likely be an entry-level variant.
The powertrains in these models could be identical to the ones in the iX SUV, as the trim level names match up.
The BMW iX xDrive40 is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup with 240kW of power and 630Nm of torque. It’s claimed to do the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.1 seconds.
The iX M60 is also powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup, but produces 455kW and 1100Nm. It’s claimed to do the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds.
The all-electric BMW i5 is expected to be revealed alongside the new 5 Series in 2023, which is expected to continue to offer combustion and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains.
Previous spy photos have revealed the cabin of the next 5er will feature a dual-screen setup, as is quickly becoming the norm in BMW’s model range, with the latest iDrive 8 operating system.
While the i5 will give BMW a direct rival for the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQE and upcoming Audi A6 e-tron, the high-performance M5 isn’t expected to go all-electric just yet.
It’s expected to borrow the PHEV powertrain from the recently-revealed XM SUV which consists a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 with 360kW/650Nm, an 145kW/280Nm electric motor, and a 25.7kWh battery pack. Total system outputs are 480kW and 800Nm.
The current-generation BMW 5 Series has been on sale since 2016 and was facelifted in 2020.
Its arch-rival, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, is also set to be revealed in redesigned form during 2023.
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MORE: Everything BMW 5 Series
