BMW launches iX5 electric SUV with record‑size 147 kWh battery

BMW is set to unveil the iX5, the brand's first fully electric X5 SUV, in late June before beginning production at its Spartanburg plant in the United States later in summer 2026. The iX5 will carry a 147.8 kWh gross‑capacity battery pack – about 142 kWh usable – the largest battery ever fitted to a BMW production vehicle, targeting roughly 1,000 km of WLTP range. Built on an updated CLAR platform rather than the dedicated Neue Klasse EV architecture, the SUV will share body and suspension hardpoints with conventional X5 models and will be offered alongside petrol, diesel, plug‑in hybrid and a hydrogen version planned for 2028.

Technical details include an 800‑volt electrical system, cylindrical cells, fast‑charging capability of up to 400 kW, and engineering tweaks such as decoupled springs to manage the added weight. While production of other CLAR‑based electric models (i3, i5, iX1) will cease at BMW Brilliance in Shenyang, China, the iX5 marks the start of BMW’s new multi‑energy strategy and will be the first model on the upcoming Neue Klasse platform for the Chinese market later in the decade.