10:30 19-06-2026

BMW iX5: the electric X5 is almost here, with a 141 kWh battery and a hint of 1,000 km

The first all-electric X5 lands in late 2026 with BMW's largest battery yet, an 800V architecture and rumours of a four-digit range figure.

BMW is set to reveal the new X5 in late June, and the loudest version in the line-up is the fully electric iX5. For the brand, this is not a one-off experiment like the iX, but the move of one of its most successful SUVs into the electric era.

According to the carmaker, series production of the iX5 60 xDrive will start in the second half of 2026 at the Spartanburg plant, the traditional home of the X5; sales are expected at the turn of 2026 and 2027. The headline number is a 141 kWh battery (net, European spec; the US figure is 144 kWh). This is what should give the car a very generous range: rumours point to 1,000 km on the WLTP cycle, though BMW itself has not yet confirmed that figure.

According to the brand, the iX5 60 xDrive delivers around 578 hp and is built on an 800-volt architecture, the sixth-generation eDrive with cylindrical cells. That means BMW is not just aiming at a comfortable family EV, but at a direct fight with the Mercedes EQE SUV, the Audi Q8 e-tron, the Tesla Model X and the upcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric. The approaches differ: Tesla leans on efficiency and software, Mercedes on comfort, Porsche will play the dynamic card, while BMW is betting on the familiar handling of the X5.

The toughest task is mass. A huge battery helps with range but adds weight, hurts braking and pushes up consumption. So BMW has to prove that the iX5 will not turn into a heavy electric crossover that only looks good on paper. First impressions from journalists who drove the prototypes suggest engineers have managed to preserve the feel of a regular X5.

Buyers do not pick an iX5 like this to follow a trend. A large premium SUV has to cover long distances calmly, charge quickly, carry a family and its luggage, and not turn winter trips into a charging-station puzzle. If the 141 kWh battery delivers real range that is noticeably above rivals, BMW will have a strong argument. But price, consumption and charging speed will matter more than the pretty 1,000 km number. In this class, people do not buy a promise; they buy the certainty that the car will not force them to change their habits more than they want.