BMW i7 2022: Australian release date for all-electric 7 Series set for end of the year

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BMW will further develop its ‘power of choice’ powertrain philosophy in Australia when it releases the new i7 – an all-electric variant of the new G70-chassis 7 Series – locally at the end of 2022.

The first variant of i7 to touch down in Australia will be the powerful, dual-motor i7 xDrive60, developing a combined 400kW of power and 745Nm of torque from e-motors located at the front and rear axles.

With that grunt, the i7 will rocket to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 240km/h. 

The arrival of the i7 will give BMW buyers a conventional electric sedan option, with the vehicle set to sit alongside the iX electric large SUV (from $135,900) and the five-door i4 Gran Coupe (from $99,900).

The i7 xDrive60 will go on sale in Australia during the final quarter of 2022. 

Electric technology and luxury refinement 

Two motors, one on each axle, are powered by a large 101.7kWh usable battery. The motor connected to the rear wheels produces 230kW of power while the front motor produces 190kW. 

Electric power consumption for this model is rated at 19.6kWh/100km (WLTP) and the big limo should be able to travel around 600km between charges. The i7’s weight has not been revealed just yet.  

Significant development has gone into making the onboard battery packs as slim as possible. In the case of the i7, the battery pack is just 110mm high and is located low underneath the floor of the vehicle. 

Adaptive recuperation technology first used in the BMW iX and BMW i4 has been utilised in the i7 and works by storing energy while the car decelerates, causing charge to feed the battery whenever the i7 is slowing down. 

Users can select from three different regenerative modes including a high setting which produces a ‘one-pedal’ drive feeling. 

Unlike a Porsche Taycan, the i7 does not utilise an 800-volt architecture, somewhat limiting its rapid-charging speeds. The 400-volt platform under the i7 allows the limo to be recharged at up to 195kW DC, which BMW says is sufficient to restore 170km of range in 10 minutes, while charging from 10 to 80 percent will likely take about 40 minutes.

Home or office charging can be performed at up to 11kW AC speeds, which would require around 9 hours to completely recharge the i7 from 0 to 100 percent.

‘Veganza’ vegan leather and twin-axle air suspension

All models in the 7 Series range, including the i7, will feature two-axle air suspension with electronic dampers fitted as standard. 

With this system, ride height automatically drops by 10mm in sport mode or raised by up to 20mm for off-road or bumpy road conditions. 

Integral active steer is also available as an option on all 7 Series models, which in basic terms, is BMW’s wording for rear-wheel steering. The rear wheels can turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels at up to 3.5-degrees. 

The BMW 7 Series range has been created with sustainability in mind and is constructed using a multitude of recycled materials such as aluminium, synthetic yarns, reused plastic and fishing nets recovered from the sea. 

A special trim called Veganza offers properties similar to leather but has up to 85 percent less carbon emissions than full leather trim.