BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport Pro CKD is here: Assembled in Kulim with more range and lower price

BMW Malaysia has unveiled the locally assembled (CKD) version of the BMW i5 eDrive40 electric sedan. The BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport Pro is not only the first fully-electric BMW model to be locally assembled in Malaysia, but also in Asia Pacific.

The fully imported (CBU) version, the i5 eDrive40 M Sport, was launched in Malaysia back in November 2023. It then subsequently won the Silver award for the Electric Sedan of the Year category at the SoyaCincau Awards 2023.

The i5 CKD can be obtained for RM368,800 on-the-road (OTR), excluding insurance. As a comparison, the CBU version was launched in November 2023 for RM419,800, although it has since decreased to RM400,800 according to the latest price list.

However, this price tag does not include the BMW Service & Repair Inclusive (BSRI) package that extends the warranty to 5 years alongside 6 years of service coverage with unlimited mileage. With BSRI, the price then shoots up to RM392,300, but nevertheless, you are generally looking at a savings of RM32,000.

As you may noticed, the CKD model has M Sport Pro to its name as opposed to the CBU model, which is an M Sport version. Hence, that is why there are some tweaks done to its exterior and interior designs.

Among them are the Shadowline elements on the car’s lights as well as the BMW Kidney Iconic Glow. The panoramic roof that was removed from the CBU version through an early-2024 revision made its way back to the CKD version as well.

The i5 CKD is also equipped with a gloss black M rear spoiler. As for the interior, you can now spot a carbon fibre finish on the dashboard alongside an M leather steering wheel, M seat belts, and an anthracite M headliner.

Performance-wise, it remains the same as per the CBU version. The i5 eDrive40 M Sport Pro CKD is still equipped with a rear-mounted 250kW (335hp) electric motor, which also produces 430Nm of torque.

This setup allows the electric sedan to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6 seconds and has a top speed of 193km/h. The CKD model is still being powered by a 83.9kWh, but it has an improved WLTP-rated range of up to 627km as opposed to its CBU counterpart that maxes out at 582km.

The improvement in range was mainly made possible by the implementation of a silicon carbide (SiC) converter in i5, which BMW announced earlier this year. This is the first time that the company is using SiC semiconductor components in the power electronics of the i5.

The CKD version retained the support for 22kW AC charging that was implemented in the early-2024 revision of the CBU model. It also continues to support DC charging speed of up to 205kW, which allows the EV to be charged from 10-80% in 34 minutes.

On the tech side of things, you can still spot the BMW Curved Display, which features a 12.3-inch instrument display and a 14.9-inch central infotainment display (a.k.a the control display), while there is also a head-up display and an interior camera. The EV still has a Bowers and Wilkins 655-watt sound system, although the number of speakers has been reduced from 18 to 17.

The Driving Assistant Professional package is also available with the CKD version, which provides it with numerous ADAS features such as Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Change Warning, Rear Crossing-Traffic Warning, Rear Collision Prevention, Front/Rear Crossing Traffic Warning, and Evasion Assistant. It also comes with the Parking Assistant Plus package, which enables the automatic parking assistant for this model, together with the Surround View System and Remote 3D View.

In terms of exterior colourways, the i5 eDrive40 M Sport Pro CKD can be obtained in Black Sapphire Metallic, Mineral White Metallic, Brooklyn Grey Metallic, Phytonic Blue Metallic, and Oxide Grey Metallic. Regardless of the colour choice, all i5 CKD comes with BMW Individual Merino leather upholstery in Black/Atlas Grey.