If you're in the market for a luxury electric car, BMW today announced a new entry in its 7 Series.
The new BMW i7 offers an EPA-rated range of up to 310 miles from a 101.7kWh battery pack situated underneath the cabin. The power is channeled through electric motors on both axles that have 400kW of output, the equivalent of 544 horsepower. When it’s time to top up the "tank," the BMW i7 supports DC fast-charging at up to 195kW, which can see the car get an estimated 105 miles of range in just 10 minutes.
The car will feature BMW’s iDrive user interface and an updated BMW Operating System 8. The company mentions that the vehicle will feature sensors, software, and a computing platform that offers “potential for automated driving and parking functions up to Level 3,” but doesn’t go as far as confirming full autonomous driving.
The new BMW i7 embodies the company’s attempt to create “forward-looking ways to enjoy driving pleasure, unsurpassed long-distance comfort and a top-end digital experience.”
To that end, the new 7 Series includes a special display previously seen at CES, called the BMW Theatre Screen. Attached to the cabin ceiling, it will provide a 31-inch, 32:9 ultra-wide screen with a 7,680-by-2,160 resolution—the equivalent of two side-by-side 4K displays—with Amazon Fire TV and 5G connectivity onboard. The rear doors also feature touch-screen controls.
An Executive Lounge option also provides a leg rest for the rear passenger-side seat.
The new 7 Series comes to market in November 2022, starting at $119,300, CNBC reports. It will be built at BMW’s plant in Dingolfing, Germany, its largest production facility in Europe; the car's electric drive system and the high-voltage battery will also be manufactured there.
BMW is also launching two hybrid models. BMW will follow up the i7 in 2023 with an upgraded BMW i7 M70 xDrive model that increases the horsepower to over 600 and delivers a zero to 62mph time in under four seconds.
It's a busy week for all-electric luxury cars. Yesterday, we got a glimpse of the Mercedes EQS SUV, a follow-up to the EQS 450+ sedan. Lexus today also unveiled the new "RZ", its first globally available battery electric model.