Comparison
BMW i5 vs Tesla Model S
eDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) vs Model S: range, price, charging, running costs and road-trip stops.
Best range Tesla Model S 410 mi vs 328 mi
Best value BMW i5 $67,100 vs $109,990
Faster charging BMW i5 30 min vs 31 min
5-yr energy Tesla Model S $4,450 vs $4,200
Winner by category
6 categories comparedRange winner
Tesla Model S
410 mi vs 328 mi
Value winner
BMW i5
$205/mi vs $268/mi
Charging winner
BMW i5
30 min vs 31 min
Efficiency winner
Tesla Model S
270 Wh/mi vs 289 Wh/mi
Utility/family winner
Tesla Model S
Ahead on seats, cargo, and tow capacity
Performance winner
Tesla Model S
3.1 s vs 5.8 s
Side-by-side comparison
Featured trims| Spec | BMW i5 | Tesla Model S |
|---|---|---|
| Trim used | eDrive40 Sedan (19 inch Wheels) | Model S |
| MSRP (USD) | $67,100 (better) | $109,990 |
| Range | 328 mi | 410 mi (better) |
| Efficiency | 289 Wh/mi • 3.46 mi/kWh | 270 Wh/mi • 3.7 mi/kWh (better) |
| Battery (usable) | 81.2 kWh | 96 kWh (better) |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Drivetrain | RWD | AWD |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| DC max | 205 kW | 250 kW (better) |
| AC max | 11 kW | 11 kW |
| 10–80% (DC) | 30 min (better) | 31 min |
| Roadtrip score | 80.6 | 88.7 (better) |
| Miles added (15 min est.) | 98 mi | 120 mi (better) |
| USD per mile of range | 205 $/mi (better) | 268 $/mi |
| 0–60 mph | 5.8 s | 3.1 s (better) |
| Top speed | 120 mph | 155 mph (better) |
| Cargo | 17 cu ft | 25 cu ft (better) |
| Tow rating | 4,409 lb (better) | 3,527 lb |
Pick the BMW i5 if…
- You want the lower price: $67,100 vs $109,990 to start, $42,890 less.
Pick the Tesla Model S if…
- You drive long days: 410 vs 328 miles of rated range.
- You haul gear: 25 vs 17 cu ft of listed cargo space.
- You care about acceleration: 0-60 mph in 3.1 vs 5.8 seconds.
- You want to use Tesla Superchargers without an adapter: it has a native NACS port.
Availability: Tesla Model S production has ended, so you'd be buying leftover or used stock.
5-year energy cost: BMW i5 vs Tesla Model S
| Charging mix | BMW i5 | Tesla Model S |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | 289 Wh/mi | 270 Wh/mi |
| All home charging | $3,300 | $3,050 |
| 80% home, 20% public DC | $4,450 | $4,200 |
| All public DC fast charging | $9,250 | $8,650 |
60,000 miles (12,000 a year) at rated efficiency, $0.17/kWh at home, $0.48/kWh at public fast chargers, plus 10% charging loss. A 30 mpg gas car at $3.20/gal would spend about $6,400 on fuel over the same miles. Use your own rates.
500-mile road trip: charging stops
| BMW i5 | Tesla Model S | |
|---|---|---|
| First leg (90% to 10%) | 223 mi | 279 mi |
| Each leg after a 10-80% stop | 195 mi | 244 mi |
| Fast-charge stops | 2 | 1 |
| Time spent charging | about 60 min | about 30 min |
| DC port | CCS1 | NACS |
Highway range taken as 85% of rated range. Each stop is counted as a full 10-80% session at the listed time, so the last stop is often shorter in practice. Cold weather and high speeds add stops. Charging time calculator.
Related comparisons
All comparisons BMW i4 BMW i5 vs BMW i4 • Tesla Model S vs BMW i4 ›
Mercedes-Benz EQE BMW i5 vs Mercedes-Benz EQE • Tesla Model S vs Mercedes-Benz EQE ›
Audi A6 e-tron BMW i5 vs Audi A6 e-tron • Tesla Model S vs Audi A6 e-tron ›
Hyundai Ioniq6 BMW i5 vs Hyundai Ioniq6 • Tesla Model S vs Hyundai Ioniq6 ›
Lucid Air BMW i5 vs Lucid Air • Tesla Model S vs Lucid Air ›
Porsche Taycan BMW i5 vs Porsche Taycan • Tesla Model S vs Porsche Taycan ›
Tesla Model 3 BMW i5 vs Tesla Model 3 • Tesla Model S vs Tesla Model 3 ›
Rivian R1S BMW i5 vs Rivian R1S • Tesla Model S vs Rivian R1S ›