BMW i5 vs Mercedes-Benz EQS: Specs Compared

Also searched as Mercedes-Benz EQS vs BMW i5 specs — both orientations show this same side-by-side comparison.

The BMW i5 is the more efficient of the two: it reaches 116 mpg combined versus 103 mpg for the Mercedes-Benz EQS, a 13 mpg advantage and costs about $50 less per year to fuel.

Across 4 measured categories, the BMW i5 leads in 4. Figures are EPA test data, not manufacturer claims.

2024–2027

BMW i5

Compact Cars · 30 configurations

116mpg combined (best)
All BMW i5 specs

2022–2027

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Large Cars · 32 configurations

103mpg combined (best)
All Mercedes-Benz EQS specs

Head-to-head specifications

MetricBMW i5Mercedes-Benz EQS
Best combined MPG116 mpg ✓103 mpg
Best city MPG120 mpg ✓101 mpg
Best highway MPG113 mpg ✓105 mpg
Lowest annual fuel costEPA estimate at 15,000 miles per year$650 ✓$700
Lowest CO2 outputNot availableNot available
Engines offeredNot availableNot available
TransmissionsAutomatic (A1)Automatic (A1)
DrivetrainsAll-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel DriveAll-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel typesElectricityElectricity
EPA classCompact CarsLarge Cars
Years covered2024–20272022–2027
Configurations on record3032

Source: EPA fuel economy records via fueleconomy.gov. Best-case values across all recorded configurations for each model.

BMW i5 vs Mercedes-Benz EQS: what the numbers mean

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the BMW i5 burns about $650 of fuel annually against $700 for the Mercedes-Benz EQS. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the BMW i5 leads in both cycles — 120 mpg city and 113 mpg highway against 101 and 105 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Drivetrain and class: the BMW i5 is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive, the Mercedes-Benz EQS with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Compact Cars and Large Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

i5 vs EQS: common questions

Which is better on gas, the BMW i5 or the Mercedes-Benz EQS?

The BMW i5 is the more efficient of the two: it reaches 116 mpg combined versus 103 mpg for the Mercedes-Benz EQS, a 13 mpg advantage and costs about $50 less per year to fuel.

Which costs less to run per year?

By EPA estimates at 15,000 miles a year, the BMW i5 runs about $650 a year in fuel at its most efficient configuration, versus about $700 for the Mercedes-Benz EQS — a difference of roughly $50 per year.

What engines do the i5 and EQS offer?

BMW i5: no engine data on record. Mercedes-Benz EQS: no engine data on record.

Are they in the same vehicle class?

The EPA classifies the BMW i5 as Compact Cars and the Mercedes-Benz EQS as Large Cars, so they aren't a like-for-like match on size.

More i5 comparisons

More EQS comparisons

Comparison id: bmw-i5-vs-mercedes-benz-eqs