Are you getting ready for the winter holidays, waiting for the first snowfall? Well, the BMW i7 has already experienced the white stuff close to the Arctic Circle.
The German automaker has revealed that the electric luxury sedan, which is due next year, has had its all-wheel drive, suspension, steering, braking, and other components tested at the company’s center in Arjeplog, Sweden.
Engineers got to see how everything functions in the biting cold, making a few adjustments and taking notes for future upgrades. The snow-covered roads and frozen lakes around the Swedish town became home to the first-ever BMW i7, which was immortalized in Lapland’s winter landscape, with the heavy camouflage still covering its entire body.
The wraps will officially come off in 2022, the car firm has confirmed, and when they unveil it, it will inevitably take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQS, Audi e-tron GT, and Tesla Model S. A zero-emission variant of the next-gen 7 Series, the i7 is understood to launch with a 120 kWh lithium-ion battery back. The massive unit will reportedly enable a maximum range of 435 miles (700 km) on a full charge.
Photo: BMW
Besides the impressive autonomy, the EV will probably be joined by a high-performance model, perhaps with around 640 bhp available on tap. An even more powerful version, supposedly with a tri-motor setup and roughly 740 bhp, might dwarf it, yet as you can imagine, nothing is official at this point.
What we can tell you is that the normal variants of the i7 should arrive with emphasis on comfort and range, rather than fast takeoffs and crazy top speeds. A Level 3 semi-autonomous driving system will be reserved for certain markets, allowing the car to drive itself under limited conditions, which will be shared with other models in the brand’s stable, including the new 7 Series, 5 Series, X7, and X5.
This technology will be reserved for Europe and other regions of the world, where local regulations allow it, but those living in the United States will not enjoy this gimmick. The BMW i7 electric luxury sedan should officially launch in the United States in the second half of next year, which would make it a 2023 model.
Speaking of BMWs that will launch next year, look for a new high-rider, previewed by the XM Concept, a 750-horsepower SUV that is the M Division’s first standalone product, since the original M1. Citroen allowed the German car manufacturer to legally use the XM moniker, but the name isn’t the most controversial thing, as that would be the kidneys, with BMW going from bucktooth grille to a pig’s snout in just a few moves, making new-gen M3 and M4 look good by comparison.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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