BMW i7 xDrive60 to get up to 800 km battery range; even more powerful “M70” variant to join line-up?

BMW i7 xDrive60 to get up to 800 km battery range; even more powerful “M70” variant to join line-up?

The upcoming, fully electric version of BMW 7 Series, the i7 will boast of battery range of up to 500 miles, or 800 km according to the BMW USA website, and this version will be called the i7 xDrive60.

The range figures from the BMW USA website will translate to WLTP-tested range of between 580 and 610 km, according to details revealed by BMW earlier, which places it in the range ballpark of the iX. According to German website Bimmer Today, the i7’s xDrive60 variant designation without the ‘M’ is telling, compared to the nomemclature of the range-topping iX variant that is the M60.

The website reports that BMW head of development Frank Weber had hinted to American press that there will be an even more potent performance model to sit above the xDrive60, and one with an M in its name; initial speculation has suggested that the high-performance version of the EV sedan could be named “i7 M70”.

For comparison, the iX M60 that is currently the most powerful EV in the BMW line-up boasts of 619 PS and 1,100 Nm of torque, and the i7 xDrive60 could offer similar output numbers. This means that any M model will offer considerably more; for reference, the iX M60 with this powertrain does the 0-100 km/h run in 3.8 seconds, and a limited top speed of 250 km/h.

BMW i7 xDrive60 to get up to 800 km battery range; even more powerful “M70” variant to join line-up?

The forthcoming i7 xDrive60 is likely to use a powertrain similar to that of the iX M60 (pictured), though for the sedan, there’s likely to be an even more powerful version coming

As for the upcoming i7 xDrive60, its battery range is slightly longer than the 566 km of the iX M60, and the flagship electric sedan could feature an even larger battery pack than the 105.2 kWh lithium-ion pack in the iX M60 in order to attain the longer range figure.

Being a successor to the current 7 Series and one also with more than 600 PS, the i7 xDrive60 appears to replace the purely internal combustion V12-powered M760Li xDrive, which cranks out 585 PS and 850 Nm of torque, also sent to all four wheels.

Naturally, the best seats in a car such as the 7 Series is in the rear, and the forthcoming generation of the German brand’s flagship sedan has been shown to feature a 31-inch, 8K-resolution Theatre Screen in ultrawide 32:9 format, and which deploys from the roof liner.

There’s more innovation along the cabin of the forthcoming 7 Series, where a light and function strip along the instrument panel as well as the doors will offer visual and haptic interaction with the vehicle’s users. Named the BMW Interaction Bar, this is part of the car’s ambient lighting in the 7 Series, and its LED light threads can be individually adjusted, said the manufacturer.

Just under a month to go now before the next-generation BMW 7 Series is officially unveiled, which will take place on April 20, according to Bimmer Today.

GALLERY: 2022 BMW 7 Series teaser

GALLERY: BMW i7 development vehicle, official images

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Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 
 

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