"Carmakers are now stuffing big batteries into their loudest and proudest performance flagships-the cars in their lineup that typically have the highest emissions-and it has created a crop of cars that are quite odd. They are absurdly quick in a straight line and can take you dozens of miles on electricity, but the heavy hybrids start to fall apart when you try to throw them into a corner like their non-electrified predecessors."
"The new BMW M5 feels even more gutsy than its claimed 717 horsepower output would suggest. It's not surprising that one revealed that it was pushing almost 700 hp to the wheels, meaning the real output is probably closer to 800 hp. It pins you to your seat with its alarming pace, whether from a standing or a rolling start. There's nothing quite like feeling the shove of a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine with 737 pound-feet (1,000 Nm) of torque."
"The M5's powertrain is unequivocally brilliant. Part of that comes down to the fact that it's also pretty great to drive without firing up the V-8. With 197 hp and 206 lb-ft (280 Nm) of torque, the electric motor, which lives inside the eight-speed automatic gearbox, is more than capable of moving the M5 on its own. Even in my hefty, 5,456-pound (2,475 kg) Touring Model, the M5 felt brisk in EV mode."
Automakers are fitting large batteries into flagship performance models, producing cars that are extremely fast in straight-line acceleration and offer dozens of miles of electric range. Heavy hybrid systems and added mass degrade cornering and dynamic balance compared with previous non-electrified performance models. Two divergent approaches appear: large-displacement engines paired with substantial batteries to extend electric range and small-engine hybrids that use batteries primarily to boost performance. The BMW M5 Touring combines a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 with an electric motor that enables brisk EV driving and very strong combined torque and horsepower figures.
Read at InsideEVs
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