BMW i7 M70 xDrive: The flagship goes fully electric

BMW presented its latest flagship in Shanghai. The BMW i7 M70 xDrive is the first model in the 7 Series to feature an electric motor. The absence of a combustion engine is accompanied by a significant increase in performance.

BMW i7 M70 xDrive is a fast heavyweight

When BMW first unveiled its latest 7 Series just under a year ago, it caused quite a stir. After all, given the large-scale design, it was recognized that the traditional Bavarian manufacturer was primarily targeting the Chinese and U.S. markets here. In addition, the manufacturer decided to rely on both a combustion engine and an electric motor. The top version now presented in Shanghai in the form of the BMW i7 M70 xDrive also contains a surprise. For the first time, the traditional brand has opted for an all-electric model for the flagship of the series. Those who now fear that this will mean a loss of the usual high performance of the top equipment should be reassured by the technical specifications.

Two engines are at work in the BMW i7 M70 xDrive. The engine on the front axle offers 190 kW of power. To maintain the familiar rear-wheel drive feel, a whopping 360 kW is again used on the rear axle. According to the manufacturer, this should provide a total output of a respectable 485 kW. Torque of 1100 Nm is supposed to help the approximately 2.7-ton unit achieve blazingly fast acceleration. According to BMW, the vehicle makes it from 0 to 100 within 3.7 seconds. The high performance, in turn, enables a maximum speed of 250 km/h. To what extent one should push this to the limit is of course questionable. Although we can probably look forward to the usual high level of driving comfort here, fast accelerations and high speeds gnaw away at the battery capacity.

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Range up to 560 km

Those who are a little more cautious with the gas pedal should be allowed to benefit from a long range. Thus, the 101.7 kWh battery should allow up to 560 km according to the WLTP standard. BMW specifies 195 kW as the maximum charging power. Here, some competitors have their noses in front. However, fast charging is still possible. It is said to take just under half an hour to charge the large-format full-power vehicle from 10 to 80 percent. There is also good news in terms of software.

Thus, the BMW i7 M70 xDrive should already use the latest version of the infotainment system. In version 8.5, the Bavarian manufacturer introduces, among other things, a practical access. This bypasses the detour through the submenus. However, this version should only be a temporary solution. After all, the brand-new OS 9 version will be launched at the end of the year. This will then of course also be used in the BMW i7 M70 xDrive.

Price and availability

It all sounds too good to be true. For many, driving their own BMW i7 M70 xDrive will probably never become a reality either. After all, the e-car is beyond most people’s financial means. For the base version of its latest flagship, BMW is asking for the hefty sum of 181,800 euros. The emphasis here, however, is on “basic.” After all, the price of the luxury car rises with extra equipment requests. Those who have the necessary change or enjoy dreaming can let off steam in the configurator on BMW’s website.