BMW is now weeks away from the world premiere of an all-electric version of its long-running 5 series and has shared some camouflaged images of the new i5 eDrive40 completing summer testing. BMW also shared some design and performance specs i5 customers can expect to see in the new EV.
As a combustion model, the 5 series has been a staple in BMW’s lineup since 1972 and remains the German automaker’s second best-selling vehicle behind the 3 series. We saw BMW kick off its all-electric models with the i3, and the automaker has used that now-defunct EV as a springboard into larger, better-performing models, like the i4 and upcoming i7 sedan.
After teasing an i5 concept six years ago, BMW fans have been left wondering what an all-electric version of the 5 series will look like and what sort of performance will it deliver. Those interested consumers should soon have their questions answered when the all-electric i5 makes its world debut alongside a plug-in hybrid and combustion version.
Before then, BMW has shared some more camouflaged images of the i5 in action as its suspension control and ADAS is fine-tuned. Check it out.
BMW i5 to launch this October with new ADAS
According to BMW, the development of the i5 sedan is in the “home stretch” at the automaker’s proving grounds outside Miramas in southern France. The past year, the all-electric 5 series has traversed snow and ice in Sweden, extreme heat, city and country roads, plus various test tracks.
BMW states the top-tier i5 M60 xDrive will come standard with Adaptive Suspension Professional, which includes electronically controlled dampers to provide the ride comfort of a 7 series with the agility of a 3 series, according to the automaker. This feature is an optional add-on to the i5 eDrive40 (seen above).
BMW’s ninth generation Vertical Dynamics Management will also make its debut on the electric 5 series. Per the release:
This technology is based on a newly developed, extensively networked control logic, and factors in all the available input variables – such as wheel speeds, steering angle, yaw rate and acceleration – to establish the ideal damping forces. The system no longer calculates the required damping forces using mathematical models, but instead favors physical calculation of data based on the current driving situation. This ensures precise body control and suspension response in every driving situation.
Lastly, BMW states that it has bolstered its ADAS technology on the i5 using high-resolution cameras, high-precision radar sensors, and refined software. The result is an optional Driving Assistance Professional Package that includes Highway Assistant, which allows for hands-free driving at speeds up to 85 mph and now includes Active Lane Change with driver monitoring.
The system will suggest the lane change, and the driver can activate the movement by peering at the side mirror. The driver can also flip their turn signal to initiate the lane change.
We are sure to learn more during the i5’s world premiere in a few weeks, ahead of production this summer and deliveries in October. Stay tuned.
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With 615 horsepower, the Cadillac Lyriq-V is the quickest Caddie to date. Cadillac’s first V-Series EV will outsprint a CT5-V Blackwing, and it can be yours for under $80,000.
The 2026 Lyriq-V EV is the fastest Cadillac ever
We knew it was coming soon. Cadillac teased the Lyriq-V for the first time in late October, giving a sneak peek at its first electric V-Series vehicle.
Cadillac’s performance brand is known for iconic sports cars like the CT5-V Blackwing, but the new EV pushes the “V-Series sub-brand to new heights,” boasted John Roth, vice president of Global Cadillac.
As the first EV to wear the V-Series badge, Cadillac promised the Lyriq-V would be powerful, but we didn’t know it would be this fast.
Cadillac officially introduced the 2026 Lyriq-V on Thursday, revealing additional specs, prices, and more. With an estimated 615 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque and a standard dual motor AWD powertrain, the EV is expected to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, making it the quickest Cadillac to date.
At that speed, it would outrun the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing with a 0 to 60 mph sprint time in 3.4 seconds. Although the CT-5 packs slightly more horsepower (668 hp), the Lyriq-V’s EV powertrain unlocks more powerful, instant acceleration.
The added power is enabled by an added Velocity Max feature, which “unleashes the vehicle’s full performance capability” with a surge of power and acceleration.
Interior and exterior design, prices, and features
The V-Series model differs from the traditional Lyriq with a lower center of gravity and custom front and rear bumpers. It also features V-Series badging on the rear doors and tailgate, V-pattern mesh on the lower grille, and 22″ wheels with the logo etched into the side.
Inside, the performance EV borrows features from the Lyriq, such as a panoramic fixed glass roof, a 23-speaker AKG sound system, and a massive 33″ LED display screen.
Cadillac distinguishes the V-Series from the traditional Lyriq by adding the V-Series logo, a V-mode button, and a sports rim with hand grips. Other unique features include a custom infotainment experience with a “V-Series persona,” a signature V-Series illuminated sill plate and V-pattern detailing on the seatbacks.
A 102 kWh battery pack is expected to provide a range of up to 285 miles. The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V starts at $79,990, including the destination fee.
In comparison, the Tesla Model Y Performance starts at $51,490 and has an EPA-estimated range of up to 277 miles. It also includes AWD and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.
Cadillac’s new performance EV will be sold in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Other markets will be announced closer to launch. GM will begin producing the new Lyriq-V at its Spring Hill, TN, manufacturing plant in early 2025.
What do you think of the Cadillac’s new performance EV? Would you buy one for $80,000? Or are you sticking with the Model Y Performance? Drop us a comment below to let us know.
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U.S. President Donald Trump makes a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
President Donald Trump said Thursday he will approve the construction of power plants for artificial intelligence through an emergency declaration.
“We’re going to build electric generating facilities. I’m going to get the approval under emergency declaration. I can get the approvals done myself without having to go through years of waiting,” Trump said in a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“They can fuel it with anything they want, and they may have coal as a backup,” he said of the plants.
The president declared a national energy emergency on Monday, directing federal agencies to use whatever emergency authorities they have at their disposal to expedite energy infrastructure projects.
Power demand from artificial intelligence data centers is forecast to surge in the coming years. The tech companies building the centers that support AI have primarily focused on procuring renewable energy to meet their climate goals, though they have shown a growing interest in nuclear power to meet their growing energy needs.
While the tech sector has focused on carbon-free power to meet their climate goals, analysts believe natural gas will play a pivotal role in powering AI because it’s in plentiful supply, is more reliable than renewables and can be deployed much faster than nuclear.
Trump said he wants power plants to connect directly to data centers rather than supplying electricity through the grid.
“You don’t have to hook into the grid, which is old and could be taken out,” Trump said. This setup, called co-location, has faced opposition from some utilities who are worried about losing fees and have warned taking power off the grid could lead to supply shortages.
Tesla has announced some important price hikes across its entire lineup in Canada amid incentives going away and a struggling Canadian dollar.
The Canadian EV market is already having problems amid announcements that the federal incentive program will be eliminated. The same thing is happening to Quebec’s own program, which was the most generous in the country—making the province the leader in EV adoption in Canada.
Now, Tesla, which sells more EVs than anyone in Canada, announced that it is increasing prices on all its lineup.
Here are the price increases for each Tesla model:
Model 3:
Long Range RWD: $4,000
Long Range AWD: $8,000
Performance: $9,000
Model Y: $4,000
Model S: $4,000
Model X: $4,000
Buyers can still get $1,300 CAD off of new Model Y, Model S, or Model X purchases with a referral code.
Tesla never comments on price changes and therefore, we don’t know the official reasons for these specific price increases, but we can make some educated guesses.
First off, the Canadian dollar has crashed in comparison to USD over the last few months:
Furthermore, the timing of announcing that the price increases will take place on February 1st has led some to link this to the upcoming tariff wars that President Trump signaled against Canada.
The US President said that he plans to impose 25% tariffs on any goods coming from Canada, and Canada said that it would retaliate.
Electrek’s Take
Obviously, this is not good for the EV market in Canada.
The removal of incentives is already hurting the market, and now the base price of the most popular EVs in the country, Tesla vehicles, is also going up before incentives.
This will be a bad year for EVs in Canada.
Hopefully, things will settle down and we will get more clarity once the tariff war actually starts.
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