The first journalists have driven BMW’s first electric X5, and the verdict is awkward for the gas version. The 2027 BMW iX5 60 xDrive — the fifth-generation X5’s battery-electric variant — pairs 570 horsepower with an 800-volt architecture, up to 460-kW DC fast charging, and a battery pack bigger than anything BMW has ever fitted to a production car. BMW’s own preliminary range estimate was 435 miles; at last week’s drive event in Southern California, BMW representatives told reviewers they’re now estimating 450 miles — a figure that is reported, not yet EPA-certified, but that would put the iX5 in very rare company. At $79,800 before destination, it asks $7,700 more than the gas X5 40 xDrive. After a day behind the wheel, reviewers are saying it might be worth it.
Key Takeaways
- 2027 BMW iX5 60 xDrive: 570 hp, 593 lb-ft, dual-motor all-wheel drive, 0–60 mph in a BMW-estimated 4.4 seconds — quicker than the gas X5 40 xDrive’s 4.8.
- 144-kWh battery — BMW’s largest ever in a production car — with an 800-volt architecture and up to 460-kW DC charging: 10–80% in about 22 minutes.
- Range: 435 miles preliminary per BMW’s June announcement; BMW reps at the October drive event now estimate 450 miles EPA (reported, pending EPA certification).
- Priced from $79,800 plus a $1,450 destination charge; U.S. deliveries begin in early 2027. The gas X5 40 xDrive arrives first, in October 2026.
- Standard NACS port and bidirectional charging — vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-home, and vehicle-to-vehicle capability from the factory.
- The iX5 is the first all-electric vehicle built at BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, and the first X5 generation offered with five drive-system types.
What’s New
The iX5 matters because of what it represents, not just what it is. Since 1999, the X5 has been BMW’s bread-and-butter SUV in the U.S. — the model that, along with the X3, pays the bills. The fifth-generation X5 is the first BMW offered with five drive systems depending on market: gas with 48V mild-hybrid tech, plug-in hybrid, battery-electric, and eventually hydrogen. The iX5 is the electric branch, built on BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology and assembled at Plant Spartanburg — the first EV ever to come out of the South Carolina plant, alongside a new battery facility in nearby Woodruff that BMW says runs on no fossil fuels in normal operation.
The hardware is genuinely new. The 144-kWh battery uses 46120 cylindrical cells in a cell-to-pack layout — no bulky modules — and an electrically excited synchronous rear motor that skips rare-earth magnets. BMW quotes 570 hp and 593 lb-ft combined, a 4.4-second 0–60 sprint, and charging that, on paper, borders on absurd: up to 460 kW, 10–80% in roughly 22 minutes, or about 170 miles added in 10 minutes at a capable charger. Every iX5 ships with a native NACS port and bidirectional charging hardware, so the SUV can run power tools, back up a house, or share charge with another EV.
First-drive reviewers came away impressed by the driving experience rather than just the spec sheet. Back-to-back with the gas X5, the iX5’s instant torque and lower center of gravity — the big battery sits in the floor — made it feel quicker, quieter, and more settled, especially on long highway stints. BMW’s new Panoramic Vision display, a slim screen band running across the cabin below the windshield, drew particular praise for legibility and for putting navigation and speed where the driver actually looks.
Design and Performance
Visually, the iX5 is identical to its gas siblings — same clean Neue Klasse proportions, same vertically oriented illuminated kidney grille, same Double-X LED light signature. That’s deliberate: BMW wants the electric X5 to read as an X5 first and an EV second. Inside, the cabin is shared across the range too, with the Panoramic iDrive system, a 17.9-inch central display, and BMW Operating System X. The iX5 also gets BMW’s latest hands-free driver-assistance tech, which reviewers found confident on lane-keeping and refreshingly light on nagging.
The performance case is straightforward. Against the gas X5 40 xDrive, the iX5 is more powerful (570 hp versus the six-cylinder’s output), quicker to 60 (4.4 versus 4.8 seconds), and — thanks to the instant torque delivery EVs are known for — more responsive at any speed without gear changes or turbo lag. The trade-off, as ever, is weight: the big battery makes the iX5 heavier than its gas sibling, though reviewers noted the low center of gravity mostly masks it. The open question is the one BMW hasn’t closed yet: whether the EPA certifies that 450-mile estimate. The June press materials quote 435 miles as a preliminary figure based on BMW’s own testing to EPA procedures; the 450 number comes from BMW representatives speaking to reviewers at the drive event, so treat it as BMW’s current expectation, not a certified rating.
What It Means for Enthusiasts
For the aftermarket, the iX5’s arrival is a slow-burn story. The new X5 generation shares its look across powertrains, which means exterior accessories developed for the gas X5 should translate visually — but fitment is generation-specific, and the new G65 platform is not the outgoing G05. Vicrez’s current X5 catalog covers the 2020–2026 G05, and those parts do not automatically carry over to the new generation. The honest play for today’s X5 owner is the one below: protect the truck you already have, and watch for new-generation fitment as the G65 reaches dealers.
The bigger enthusiast angle is what the iX5 does to the luxury EV pecking order. A 450-mile, 570-hp, 460-kW-charging BMW SUV built in South Carolina, priced at $79,800, is no longer a compliance play or a niche experiment — it’s BMW betting that its core buyer is ready to go electric without giving up anything. If the EPA number lands near 450, the iX5 becomes one of the longest-range luxury EVs on sale, and the gas X5’s “theater” — to borrow a reviewer’s word — becomes a choice rather than a necessity.
Vicrez Products for BMW X5
Vicrez currently lists fitment for the 2020–2026 BMW X5 (G05). The 2027 iX5 rides on the new fifth-generation platform, and new-generation fitment has not yet been confirmed on vicrez.com — so the picks below are for current G05 X5 owners today, not for the incoming iX5. If you drive a G05, these mud flaps are the simplest paint protection you can bolt on: ABS construction, factory-style fit, and vehicle-specific mounting hardware. Fitment years are exactly as listed on each product page.
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Ownership disclosure: VicrezDriver and Vicrez.com share ownership. Editorial policy.
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Ownership disclosure: VicrezDriver and Vicrez.com share ownership. Editorial policy.
Recommended Product
Ownership disclosure: VicrezDriver and Vicrez.com share ownership. Editorial policy.
Source: BMW PressClub USA — “The New BMW X5 and iX5,” Woodcliff Lake, NJ, June 30, 2026. Read the official release. First-drive impressions: InsideEVs, October 22, 2026.
