All-electric BMW i7 flagship seen at BMW i Pavilion in Singapore
Singapore - The luxury EV scene is heating up here in sunny Singapore. Hot on the heels of Mercedes-Benz’s, or should we say Mercedes-EQ’s own EQS, BMW gave us a sneak peek of their flagship all-electric i7 sedan.
BMW’s drive for electrification here can be traced back to almost ten years, when they first introduced their small city car, the i3, the i8 coupe, along with a number of other PHEVs. The i7 xDrive60 seen here, according to BMW execs on-site, would set you back at around $500,000, before throwing in a Cat B COE. We also hear that first customers here will receive their new hotness in the early months of 2023.
We also know that there will be petrol versions of the car, which will be announced next. We believe that there will be two with in-line six cylinder engines, a 735i and 740i equipped with MHEV tech. There will be a 760i (available we believe on special order) also with mild hybrid technology. BMW has ditched that roaring V12, in favour of a 4.4 litre V8 for the range-topping petrol variant - the same one which powers the higher-spec Range Rover.
Back to the i7, the electric drive system is similar to the one in the BMW iX, with one motor on each axle, delivering 258hp and 365Nm at the front, and 313hp and 380Nm at the rear. In all, the i7 puts out a system total of 544hp and 745Nm, and delivers a limited top speed of 240km/h. The underfloor battery has a capacity of 101.7kWh, which BMW says, gives the i7 a range of between 590km to 625km.
Aesthetics is high on the design brief here, with BMW partnering with Swarovski, helping to produce uniquely-styled headlights, with added sparkle. Tom Binder, Head of Exterior Light Design at BMW mentioned that: “Up to now, you have only seen homogeneous light strips on the road – the crystal headlights are the complete opposite of that. The dazzling, vibrant light image is a world apart from the familiar accurate light graphic. The precision is in the glass material, though, which can be machined much more finely and precisely than plastic.”
Like all current-gen BMWs, award-winning film score producer Hans Zimmer, is responsible for creating the distinctive soundtrack for the i7. The audio score is transmitted into the car via a premium Bowers & Wilkins system, in collaboration with HARMAN. The 18-speaker system features some which are nestled within the headrest. This is also the first BMW to receive Bowers & Wilkins’ Continuum cone drive units, for improved vocal audio performance.
The i7 is decked out with a 14.9-inch curved display screen, which is powered by the Bavarian brand’s newer voice-activated Operating System 8. What is interesting is, rear passengers now have their own 5.5-inch touchscreen on each door, which gains them access to the climate control system, seat adjustments and the car’s multimedia system. There is also an optional 31.3-inch Theatre Screen for rear passengers, which will be homologated according to BMW, in 2023. This is powered by Amazon Fire TV, and stows upward toward the roof when not in use.
Buyers of the BMW i7 can opt for either a home charging wall-mounted system, or a comprehensive public charging package. For the latter, customers will receive a subscription package of 10,000kWh for three years as Shell Recharge stations, or the equivalent of 50,000km of driving range (assuming that average energy consumption is at 20kWh/100km).
The all-new BMW i7 is available at both Performance Motors Limited or Eurokars Auto.
PHOTOS Clifford Chow
2022 BMW i7 xDrive60i
Battery 101.7kWh, Li-Ion, 376.4V
Electric Motor 544hp, 745Nm
Electric Range up to 625km
0-100km/h 4.7secs
Top Speed 240km/h (electronically limited)
Efficiency 28.4kWh/100km
