Teaser for the new BMW 7 Series


BMW’s electric equivalent to its 7 Series flagship, due to be unveiled on 20 April, could boast “a range of more than 600 kilometers” when it arrives in North America.

The Bavarian brand teased its new electric limousine – the i7 – earlier this week, the accompanying shots in particular drawing attention to a new front-end design and “a unique interior experience.” While the drivetrain of the i7 has yet to be announced, the 600+ km electric range suggests that the new front end will be more aggressively aerodynamic, and that the fifth generation eDrive powertrain could feature a lithium-ion battery pack with up to 105 kWh capacity. That the i7 will be the most powerful example of the next generation 7 Series being unveiled in April give further credence to this suggestion.

Teaser for the new BMW 7 Series

Teaser for the new BMW 7 Series

“The new BMW 7 Series is absolutely trail-blazing in every respect. Like no other model, the BMW 7 Series stands for BMW’s innovative strength,” explains Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG for Development. “The all-electric BMW i7 is also the most powerful BMW 7 Series. It combines the best driving experience with the ultimate digital experience. This makes it the ideal vehicle for forward thinking, responsible decision makers and avant-garde pioneers.”

Details of the powertrain though have been kept to a minimum for now, BMW preferring instead to highlight the design of its new generation flagship both inside and out.

Read more: BMW Canada confirms range for iX SUV and i4 sedan

Alongside the BMW Curved Display, which dominates the dash to create a more minimalist design, the highlight is a new Theatre Screen, previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show in January and which makes its debut on the i7 / 7 Series next month. Folding out of the roof liner, and measuring a sizeable 31 inches, the screen effectively transforms the rear seats of the i7, in BMW’s words, into a “private cinema lounge.”

Little has been specifically revealed about the exterior redesign, though teaser images of the i7 do reveal hyper thin LED headlights, an illuminated surround for the kidney grilles (done using crystal glass), and a fluted bonnet and streamlined nose in keeping with the design of the new iX SUV.

Following its reveal, the i7 is expected to hit the North American market by late 2023. The BMW will be a principal rival to Mercedes’ EQS limousine, which thus far has an estimated electric range around the 450 km mark.

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