China’s BMW iX5 electric SUV debuted today with a long wheelbase, more interior room, better seats, and a panoramic TV designed specifically for the local market. The stretched version offers a sea of legroom for rear passengers and a feature that has so far been reserved for the most exclusive BMWs: the Theatre Screen. This 31.3-inch, 8K-resolution display swivels down, offering plenty of screen real estate for entertainment, work, or play.
Bigger Than The X7
The standard BMW iX5 has a pretty long list of impressive features, but the German automaker seems to have gone above and beyond to try to cater to Chinese customers’ needs. As many other European carmakers have learned the hard way, BMW knows that the Chinese car market is no longer what it used to be. The BMW Group’s sales in the region peaked at nearly 850,000 units in 2021, and it was all downhill from there, reaching 626,000 sales last year. Demand dropped 24% in the first half of this year, compared to the same period last year, so things aren’t going great.
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One way of trying to fix things is to introduce market-specific models, and the long-wheelbase BMW iX5 is the latest entry in this category, following in the footsteps of the stretched iX3 crossover and i3 sedan, which were recently revealed with more tech and more legroom. The long-wheelbase iX5 takes things even further. Compared to the regular iX5, which will go on sale in the United States next year, the stretched version has an extra 5.1 inches (130 millimeters) between the axles, for a total of 124.6 inches (3,165 mm). That’s more than the three-row X7 SUV offers, and makes the China-spec iX5 the longest-wheelbase production SUV BMW has ever made, alongside the gas-powered X5.
Official data shows the stretched X5 also gets a display for the front passenger—a first for the model, while the interior design has been tweaked with more streamlined surfaces and refined decorative elements. Rear doors are longer, and the seats are better, according to BMW. All of that extra length has gone to the rear passenger compartment, which now offers a sea of legroom.
Fast Charging And Range Estimates
Under the skin, the iX5 is powered by a pair of BMW’s latest-generation electric drive units. A massive, 144-kilowatt-hour battery pack rated at 800 volts provides motivation and can accept a whopping 440 kW of peak power, charging from 10-to-80% in just 22 minutes at a DC fast charger. Range-wise, the CLTC rating for the long-wheelbase iX5 is an impressive 621 miles (1,000 kilometers). In Europe, the WLTP rating for the standard-wheelbase iX5 stands at 525 miles (845 km), while the EPA estimate for the U.S. model is a more toned-down, but still impressive 425 miles (700 km).
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Buying a car in China is a very different experience than in the United States or Europe. Most dealerships in the country are not just places to buy a vehicle, but hubs for financing, insurance, and after-sales service. For the average buyer, the ability to handle all these needs in a single trip can make a stretched SUV with a giant TV in the back much more attractive than a smaller, cheaper model. This approach to car design emphasizes the total ownership experience rather than just the vehicle itself.
The new BMW iX5 will go on sale in China and the U.S. next year, alongside the gas-powered X5.
