How long to charge a BMW i5 at home
Typical trim (i5 xDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels)): 34.4 kWh/100 mi · EPA range 278 mi · on a 48 A (11.5 kW) charger about 33 mi of range per hour*
EPA lists a 240 V full-charge time of 8 h for this trim, which implies an average of roughly 12.0 kW (our estimate, = 96 kWh ÷ 8 h). Chargers well above that are unlikely to charge this car faster on AC; check the owner's manual for the onboard charger rating.
Range added by charger size (typical trim)
| Charger | Range per hour | Per 8-hour night | Empty to full EPA range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 A at 120 V (Level 1 cord) (1.4 kW) | 4 mi | 33 mi | 66.4 h |
| 16 A at 240 V (3.8 kW) | 11 mi | 89 mi | 24.9 h |
| 24 A at 240 V (5.8 kW) | 17 mi | 134 mi | 16.6 h |
| 32 A at 240 V (7.7 kW) | 22 mi | 179 mi | 12.5 h |
| 40 A at 240 V (9.6 kW) | 28 mi | 223 mi | 10.0 h |
| 48 A at 240 V (11.5 kW) | 33 mi | 268 mi | 8.3 h |
| 64 A at 240 V (15.4 kW) | 45 mi | 357 mi | 6.2 h |
| 80 A at 240 V (19.2 kW) | 56 mi | 447 mi | 5.0 h |
*Estimates: charger kW ÷ EPA kWh/100 mi × 100, assuming the car accepts that power. Charging tapers near 100% and is slower in the cold.
All 15 trims (EPA data)
| Trim | kWh/100 mi | EPA range | EPA 240 V charge time | Energy for full range (est.) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 28.9 | 328 mi | 8 h | 95 kWh | record 50360 |
| 2026 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 30.6 | 310 mi | 8 h | 95 kWh | record 49613 |
| 2026 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 31.7 | 300 mi | 8 h | 95 kWh | record 49614 |
| 2027 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 31.9 | 299 mi | 8 h | 95 kWh | record 50361 |
| 2027 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 33.8 | 283 mi | 8 h | 96 kWh | record 50603 |
| 2027 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 33.9 | 280 mi | 8 h | 95 kWh | record 50362 |
| 2027 i5 M60 xDrive Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 34.1 | 277 mi | 8 h | 94 kWh | record 50837 |
| 2026 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 34.4 | 278 mi | 8 h | 96 kWh | record 49616 |
| 2026 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 34.5 | 278 mi | 8 h | 96 kWh | record 49615 |
| 2027 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 35 | 273 mi | 8 h | 96 kWh | record 50363 |
| 2026 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 35.2 | 272 mi | 8 h | 96 kWh | record 49617 |
| 2027 i5 M60 xDrive Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 35.8 | 266 mi | 8 h | 95 kWh | record 50838 |
| 2027 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 36.5 | 262 mi | 8 h | 96 kWh | record 50364 |
| 2027 i5 M60 xDrive Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 37.1 | 259 mi | 8 h | 96 kWh | record 50839 |
| 2026 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 37.2 | 259 mi | 8 h | 96 kWh | record 49618 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (2026, 2027 model years). "Energy for full range" = kWh/100 mi × range ÷ 100, measured at the wall, so it includes charging losses and is not the battery size. Usable battery capacity is not in EPA data (data gap).
Will a bigger charger charge it faster? (per trim)
Times are empty to full EPA range. They are capped at the onboard charger rating only where EPA's own trim name states it. Otherwise they assume the car accepts the charger's full power, which may overstate the gain from 48 A and 80 A units.
| Trim | 32 A | 40 A | 48 A | 80 A | EPA 240 V time | What EPA data shows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 12.3 h | 9.9 h | 8.2 h | 4.9 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥11.8 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2026 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 12.4 h | 9.9 h | 8.2 h | 4.9 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥11.9 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2026 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 12.4 h | 9.9 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥11.9 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2027 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 12.4 h | 9.9 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥11.9 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2027 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 12.5 h | 10.0 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥12.0 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2027 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 12.4 h | 9.9 h | 8.2 h | 4.9 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥11.9 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2027 i5 M60 xDrive Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 12.3 h | 9.8 h | 8.2 h | 4.9 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥11.8 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2026 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | 12.5 h | 10.0 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥12.0 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2026 i5 eDrive40 Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 12.5 h | 10.0 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥12.0 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2027 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 12.4 h | 10.0 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥11.9 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2026 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 12.5 h | 10.0 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥12.0 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2027 i5 M60 xDrive Sedan (20 inch Wheels) | 12.4 h | 9.9 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥11.9 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2027 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 12.5 h | 10.0 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥12.0 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2027 i5 M60 xDrive Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 12.5 h | 10.0 h | 8.3 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥12.0 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
| 2026 i5 xDrive40 Sedan (21 inch Wheels) | 12.5 h | 10.0 h | 8.4 h | 5.0 h† | 8 h | EPA time implies ≥12.0 kW average, so a 48 A charger should beat a 40 A one. |
† Only if the car accepts that much power. This charger is more than 10% above the average power implied by EPA's own 240 V time, so treat EPA's time as the realistic figure.