BMW has confirmed it will launch a petrol-electric hybrid version of the new 5-series next year.

The car will be BMW's first full hybrid, one that can run in an electric-only mode, and it will also be the first BMW hybrid to reach the UK.

BMW already sells a mild-hybrid (one that must always use a combustion engine to power the car) version of the 7-series in left-hand drive markets.

Confirming the car would be produced in right-hand drive and come to the UK, a BMW spokesman said the hybrid would only be built as a saloon as the 40kW battery pack positioning and size meant that folding seats were not possible. He added the saloon would lose a small amount of boot space in hybrid form because of the battery pack.

While BMW has revealed few details of the 5-series' hybrid specification, it has said the car will not be the most efficient car in the range. Instead BMW is expected to offer the hybrid as a clean but performance variant as it will use the 3.0-litre petrol engine from the 535i and the 520d will remain the most fuel efficient car in the 5-series range.

Follow BusinessCar on TWITTER