April 20th 2022
BMW has revealed the seventh generation 7 Series in two flavours – the conventional petrol-powered 7 Series and the all-electric i7, making it the first zero-emission 7-series ever. BMW’s CEO Oliver Zipse says the EVs will come “thick and fast” from the next year as they are committed to transforming themselves into an all-electric automaker along with Rolls-Royce and Mini.
The BMW Group believes they could produce more than 10 million battery-powered vehicles by the end of 2030, as the i7 joins the iX and i4.
Petrol-Powered 7 Series
The 2023 BMW 7 Series will be accessible in two trim levels – a base six-cylinder variant and a beefier V8 model. The entry-level 740i gets an updated turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six mill, getting help from a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
BMW estimates it could produce as much as 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, which is a healthy boost of 40 horsepower over the 2022 model. While using the 48-volt system in full roll, the 740i can run in short bursts generating a top torque of 398 lb-ft, enabling it to dash to 60 miles per hour in 5.0 seconds.
On the other hand, the flagship 760i xDrive houses a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 powerplant employing the same mild-hybrid system, pumping out 536 hp and 553 lb-ft. With this huge power, the luxury sedan can sprint to 60 in only 4.2 seconds. Both mills mate to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
BMW i7
The 2023 BMW i7 is accessible in only one grade i.e. xDrive60 with two electric motors getting juice from 101.7 kilowatt-hours of the battery pack to create a total power output of 536 hp and 549 lb-ft. This energy is enough to take the i7 from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and top out at 149 mph. The petrol models have a maximum speed set at 155 mph.
Drive Range
The automaker believes, the EPA will rate the i7 xDrive60 at about 300 miles, but nothing is official yet. Regarding the recharging capability of the new electric 7 series, it can use up to 195.0 kilowatts on a DC fast charging station. The automaker says it can juice up 80 miles of range in only ten minutes. The good part is, that the recharging is totally free for the first three years at Electrify America.
All models in the 2023 7 Series come equipped with a standard four-corner air suspension system with automatic self-leveling and electronically controlled dampers. When you engage the Sport mode, the adaptive suspension drops the car’s height by 0.4 inches or lifts it up to 0.8 inches on difficult terrains. Moreover, the i7 lowers itself down a little when you go above 75 mph for improved aerodynamics. BMW also added integral adaptive steering for better accuracy at fast speeds.
That’s it for today! We will cover the exterior and interior facilities tomorrow, so stay tuned.
Source and Images: Motor1