How much does it cost to charge a BMW i5?

At the U.S. average residential rate (16.9¢/kWh), a full home charge of the BMW i5 (81 kWh, ~295 mi range) costs about $15.21 — 5.7¢ per mile. Public DC fast charging at ~43¢/kWh runs about $34.83 per full charge.

How long does it take to charge a BMW i5?

On a Level 2 home charger the BMW i5 accepts up to 11 kW, so an empty-to-full charge takes about 8.2 hours (roughly 33 miles of range per hour). At a DC fast charger its ~205 kW peak gives a 10–80% charge in about 26 minutes. On a standard 120V outlet (Level 1), a full charge takes around 68 hours.

What home charger do I need for a BMW i5?

Any Level 2 (240V) charger works; the BMW i5's onboard charger caps AC charging at 11 kW, so a 48A unit on a 60A circuit reaches that limit — a more powerful charger will not charge it faster. The electricity cost is the same at any speed: $15.21 per full charge at the national-average rate.

Cost to Charge a BMW i5

Updated September 2026 · U.S. average rates

The short answer: at the national average rate, a full home charge of the BMW i5 (81 kWh usable, ~295 miles of range) costs about $15.21 — 5.7¢ per mile, or $56.90 per 1,000 miles. The same charge at a public DC fast charger runs roughly $34.83. Versus a 32-mpg gas car, home charging saves about $41.54 per 1,000 miles.

81 kWh

Battery (usable)

295 mi

EPA-est. range

3.3 mi/kWh

Efficiency

5.7¢

Cost per mile (avg)

Living with a BMW i5: the cost story

The i5 is the electric 5 Series and drives like the badge promises. The eDrive40 is the efficiency pick; the M60 spends electrons on pace. Both benefit from BMW's excellent route-planning and preconditioning, which quietly trims road-trip costs.

Its 400-volt hardware charges competitively within its class, and home-charged it runs at a fraction of what a 530i spends on premium fuel.

Cheapest & most expensive states for the BMW i5

Cheapest

North Dakota$10.08 full · 3.8¢/mi
Idaho$10.44 full · 3.9¢/mi
Utah$10.53 full · 3.9¢/mi
Wyoming$10.62 full · 4.0¢/mi
Louisiana$10.89 full · 4.1¢/mi

Most expensive

Hawaii$37.89 full · 14.2¢/mi
Connecticut$29.07 full · 10.9¢/mi
California$28.62 full · 10.7¢/mi
Massachusetts$28.08 full · 10.5¢/mi
Rhode Island$27.36 full · 10.2¢/mi

BMW i5 charging speed & home charger

Cost does not depend on speed — a kWh is a kWh — but time does. These estimates use the BMW i5's onboard AC limit (11 kW) and its typical DC fast-charging peak (~205 kW); real sessions taper as the battery fills.

~68 h

Level 1 (120V outlet), empty → full

~8.2 h

Level 2 home charger (11 kW), empty → full

~33 mi

Level 2 range added per hour

~26 min

DC fast (~205 kW), 10 → 80%

Home charger sizing: the BMW i5 tops out at 11 kW on AC, so a 48-amp charger on a 60-amp circuit reaches its limit — a bigger unit adds nothing. Overnight (8 hours) on Level 2 restores about 261 miles, more than most daily driving. See Level 1 vs Level 2 and how many kWh it takes to charge an EV.

Run it for your state

Your state

Electric vehicle

Your rate (¢/kWh, optional)

$14.04

Full charge at home (81 kWh, ~295 mi)

5.3¢

Per mile at home charging

$52.53

Per 1,000 miles / month

$34.83 (13.0¢/mi)

Public DC fast charging (~43¢/kWh)

9.8¢/mi

Comparable gas car (32 mpg @ $3.15/gal)

$45.91/mo saved

vs gas at 1,000 mi/month, home charging

Using Texas's average residential rate (15.6¢/kWh) · national average 16.9¢ · includes ~10% AC charging losses. Rates vary by utility and plan — your bill is the source of truth.

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