Verdict
The BMW i5 is the more rational Malaysian executive EV at RM368,800, versus RM649,888 for the Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE. It travels 627 km on its 83.9-kWh battery, 100 km farther than the AMG EQE despite the latter’s 90.6-kWh pack, and its annual road tax is RM395 rather than RM1,640. The AMG EQE makes the RM281,088 gap felt with 617 hp, 950 Nm, all-wheel drive and a 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time. But the i5 has the larger 490-litre boot, 22-kW AC charging and 205-kW DC charging.
i5
Pick the BMW i5 if 627 km range, RM395 annual road tax, a 490-litre boot and far lower upfront cost matter more than outright pace.
AMG EQE
Pick the Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE if its 617 hp, 950 Nm, all-wheel drive, air suspension and 3.5-second 0-100 km/h sprint justify the RM281,088 premium.
Key differences
- Price: BMW i5 RM368,800; Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE RM649,888.
- Motor output: BMW i5 335 hp and 430 Nm; Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE 617 hp and 950 Nm.
- Range and battery: BMW i5 627 km from 83.9 kWh; Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE 527 km from 90.6 kWh.
- Performance: BMW i5 rear-wheel drive and 0-100 km/h in 6.0 seconds; Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE all-wheel drive and 3.5 seconds.
- Charging: BMW i5 22 kW AC and 205 kW DC; Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE 11 kW AC and 200 kW DC.
- Practicality: BMW i5 490-litre boot; Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE 430 litres.
i5
- 100 km longer claimed EV range
- RM281,088 lower purchase price and RM1,245 lower annual road tax
- Larger 490-litre boot plus 22-kW AC charging
- 335 hp and 430 Nm trail the AMG EQE's 617 hp and 950 Nm
- Six airbags versus nine
- Two-year vehicle warranty versus four years
AMG EQE
- 617 hp, 950 Nm and all-wheel drive
- 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time and 220 km/h top speed
- AIRMATIC air suspension and 10-year/250,000-km battery warranty
- RM649,888 price and RM1,640 annual road tax
- 527 km range despite a larger 90.6-kWh battery
- 430-litre boot and 11-kW AC charging trail the i5
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM368,800✓ | RM649,888 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CKD | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM395✓ | RM1,640 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 5th-generation BMW eDrive, 400V architecture | 400V architecture |
| Fuel | Electric | Electric |
| Number of Motors | 1 | 2 |
| Motor Horsepower | 335 hp | 617 hp✓ |
| Motor Torque | 430 Nm | 950 Nm✓ |
| Battery Capacity | 83.9 kWh | 90.6 kWh✓ |
| EV Range | 627 km✓ | 527 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 22 kW✓ | 11.0 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | 205 kW✓ | 200 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Single Ratio Automatic | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Mercedes-Benz |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 6 seconds | 3.5 seconds✓ |
| Top Speed | 193 km/h | 220 km/h✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,060 mm | 4,946 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,961 mm |
| Height | 1,515 mm | 1,510 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,995 mm | 3,120 mm |
| Weight | 2,205 kg | 2,540 kg |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 490 litres✓ | 430 litres |
| Front Tyre | 245/40R20 | 265/35R21 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/35R20 | 295/30R21 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Pirelli P Zero Elekt | Bridgestone Turanza T005 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Germany (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 20" Alloys | 21" AMG Multi-spoke Light-alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Alloys | 21" AMG Multi-spoke Light-alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | AIRMATIC with Adaptive Damping System (ADS Plus) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 6 (Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Curtain) | 9 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Side, Driver's Knee) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | — | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | — | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Electric for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three Point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | — |
| ISOFIX | Available on outer rear seats | Available for Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection (up to 130 km/h) and Evasive Steering Assist (up to 108 km/h) |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | — |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Pre-Safe, Pre-Safe Impulse Side |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector with Adaptive High Beam | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | LED | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Memory Settings | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Heating and Memory Functions |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split Fold | 40:20:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Fixed Panoramic Glass Roof | — |
| Power Sockets | 2x Wireless Charger, 2x USB-C ports front, 2x USB-C ports rear | 1 Front, 6 Front USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Powered Rear Windscreen Sun Shade & Sunroof Shade, Manual Rear Door Window Shades | — |
| Audio | 14.9" Touchscreen BMW Live Cockpit Professional with Voice Control, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Wireless Android Auto and 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Sound System (655W) | 17.7" OLED Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Augmented Reality Navigation; 12.3" OLED Touchscreen for Front Passenger; 15-speaker, 710-watt Burmester 3D Surround Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist and Stop and Go |
| Paddle Shift | — | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | — |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activated with Contactless Operation | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | — |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | Front MBUX Interior Assistant, Fingerprint Scanner, Front Qi Wireless Charger, Front Wireless Headset |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 4 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 3 years | — |
| Warranty Notes | 8 Years/ 160,000 km Warranty for EV Battery | 10-year/250,000-km Warranty for EV Battery |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used i5 & AMG EQE for sale
i5 vs AMG EQE FAQ
Is the BMW i5 or Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE better?
The BMW i5 is better for range, charging, boot space and running costs. The Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE is the choice for performance: it has 617 hp, all-wheel drive and reaches 100 km/h 2.5 seconds sooner.
What is the price difference?
The Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE costs RM281,088 more than the BMW i5: RM649,888 versus RM368,800.
Which EV has the better range and charging capability?
The BMW i5 leads on both claimed range and charging rates, with 627 km, 22-kW AC and 205-kW DC capability. The Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE lists 527 km, 11-kW AC and 200-kW DC charging.
