2023 BMW i7 Combines 7 Series Luxury With Electric Power – Roadshow [CNET]

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.

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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.