2023 BMW i7 Combines 7 Series Luxury With Electric Power
BMW estimates a driving range of 300 miles per charge.
In addition to gasoline-fed models, the seventh-generation BMW 7 Series can be had with a fully electric powertrain. Making its debut Wednesday, the 2023 BMW i7 offers all the same luxury and tech as the rest of the 7 Series range, but comes with the added sweetness of emissions-free driving.
The i7 is built on the same platform as the gas-powered 7 Series models -- underpinnings designed from the get-go to support a range of powertrain options. The i7 we'll get in the US is the xDrive60, powered by a 105.7-kilowatt-hour battery pack, 101.7 kWh of which is actually usable. BMW says the battery can accept DC fast charging at a rate of up to 195 kW, giving the i7 the ability to take in 80 miles' worth of range in as little as 10 minutes. Going from a 10% state of charge to 80% takes 34 minutes. Fully charged, BMW estimates the i7 xDrive60 can cruise up to 300 miles, based on the EPA's test cycle.
The battery sends power to electric motors mounted at each axle. The front motor produces 255 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque while the rear motor puts out 308 hp and 280 lb-ft. Combined, total system output is rated at 536 hp and 549 lb-ft, enough to get this all-wheel-drive sedan to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Considering the i7 weighs nearly 6,000 pounds -- or about 1,000 pounds more than the V8-powered 760i xDrive -- that's pretty good.
Well doesn't this look nice.
Aside from its powertrain, nearly everything else about the i7 is identical to the standard 7 Series. The exterior design is polarizing to say the least, with a new split headlight treatment and large kidney grille with an illuminated edge. The profile and rear are much less ostentatious, the only major difference being the i7's lack of tailpipes.
The similarities carry over inside the i7, too. Open-pore wood, glass controls, crystalline trim -- it's all here. Speaking at a media event in New York earlier this month, BMW board member Pieter Nota said there "is no difference whatsoever in the seating comfort and space between the two drivetrains." Gas or electric, this is a big, fancy Bimmer.
There are screens aplenty, too. Up front you'll find a single housing containing a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 14.9-inch multimedia touchscreen, running the new BMW iDrive 8 infotainment suite. A pair of 5.5-inch screens in the rear doors allow passengers to manage various car controls, and the absolute coolest feature is BMW's Theater Screen, a 31.1-inch display that folds down from the ceiling, playing various types of media in 8K resolution.
The 31.3-inch Theater Screen is available in all 7 Series models.
Driver-assistance tech is shared between the gas and electric 7 Series models, and the big ticket item is a new hands-free highway driving assistant. We had the chance to try this out in an i7 prototype in Germany, just before driving an early 760i xDrive prototype. We also have a full deep dive into all the 7 Series' features and technologies.
When it goes on sale near the end of the year, the 2023 BMW i7 will be priced from $120,295, including $995 for destination. That's a $5,700 increase over the V8-powered 760i xDrive, and considering you don't lose an ounce of luxury between the two models, seems like a small price to pay for the added advantage of EV power.
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