ELECTRIFIED SEVENTH HEAVEN? (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_bmwi7_2023

By Jonathan Crouch

BMW's all-electric i7 gets a far-reaching update. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 47

With the i7, BMW has proved that it can make a really credible modern era full-Electric model that isn't an SUV. This car is aimed directly at the Mercedes EQS and brings a prodigious level of Munich's technological firepower to the task. Especially in this updated form.

Backgroundword count: 170

A full-EV luxury model should look different, futuristic. Well this one, BMW's i7, does, especially in this updated form. We first saw this car back in 2022 and today, as then, it remains virtually identical to the ordinary combustion-engined versions of the eighth generation G70-era 7 Series large segment saloon it's based upon. So, convention, evolution and cutting-edge technology, all in one prestigiously-badged package. How could any self-respecting, ecologically minded company board member resist? Well possibly quite easily because the car this i7 is directly up against a model lauded as one of the greatest luxury EVs so far produced in this era, the Mercedes EQS. That model has been upgraded twice since this i7's original introduction, so this BMW really needed the package of updates announced in Spring 2026 that created the car we're going to look at here. Its Mercedes rival has great front-of-cabin wow factor. This one though, aims to trump it an area arguably more important in this class of car: back seat luxury. Sounds intriguing.

Driving Experienceword count: 313

This i7 got the lion's share of the engineering updates made to this G70-era 7 Series model, including a new 112.5kWh battery (up from 105.7kWh) which has the same new-era 'Gen6' cylindrical cells as those in the new i3. This, along with the adoption of the i3/iX3 models' more efficient electrically-excited synchronous motors, has massively boosted drive range. That's now up to 452 miles for the entry-level i7 50 xDrive (up from 387 miles before), which has 455hp from its dual motor drivetrain, with 0-62mph taking 5.5s. Many customers will want a more powerful i7 than that. The mid-level i7 60 xDrive (as before) offers 544hp, with 0-62mph taking 4.8s and 451 miles of range. Beyond that is the top i7 M70 xDrive, which has 680hp (with 1,015Nm of torque!) and 426 miles of range. Because this i7 is still based on a combustion-based platform (BMW's CLAR architecture), these range figures continue to lag some way behind those of the comparable more bespoke EV-engineered rival Mercedes EQS. As you'd expect, all version of this G70-era 7 Series continue to be engineered primarily for either motorways or the metropolis. But secondary roads are also tackled in its stride thanks to adaptive self-levelling air suspension, which lowers itself by 10mm in 'Sport' mode (and at speeds of over 75mph) to improve stability. You can also use it to raise the ride height by 20mm to avoid damage on rougher sections of road. Active rear steering is also standard. As with the brand's other EVs, this one can be had with an 'IconicSounds' package curated by Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer. This offers two options: one is 'Relax', which is a bit like the sort of thing you'd hear in a health spa. The other more dynamic powertrain note is called 'Expressive' which sounds like some sort of air raid siren. Fortunately, you can turn it off.

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