BMW sends i7 EV on a road trip to understand Aussie demand

BMW Australia is hitting the road with its new i7 luxury electric saloon to understand whether it will garner more interest from prospective buyers than its more affordable ICE counterpart.

Both the $297,900 BMW i7 xDrive60 EV and $268,900 BMW 740i ICE mild hybrid are expected to start deliveries to Australian customers as soon as November (pricing is before on-road costs).

After much teasing, BMW revealed first details of the new seventh generation 7-Series in April and announced the Australian pricing last month.

The arrival of the i7 also sets up yet another round in the ongoing battle with Mercedes-Benz for luxury car sales, as the fellow German brand recently launched its first electric luxury saloon in Australia, the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53. The EQS 450 – a more direct competitor for the i7 xDrive 60 will follow soon.

BMW has one i7 in Australia already and the car is shortly scheduled to visit a series of BMW dealers and be introduced to well-heeled prospective customers.

The popularity of the Porsche Taycan in Australia is evidence BMW might get some votes in favour of the i7.

“We are delighted to have a pre-series production BMW i7 in the country and look forward to showcasing it to our dealer network and customers prior to the model’s market introduction – alongside the new 740i – in Q4 this year,” said BMW Australia spokesman Nick Raman.

The all-wheel drive i7 is underpinned by a 106kWh lithium-ion battery pack that feeds a dual-motor set-up producing 400kW and 745Nm. It has a claimed WLTP range up to 625km and a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.7 seconds.

High speed DC charging with up to 195kW is claimed to increase the range of the i7 by approximately 170km in 10 minutes and lift battery charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 34 minutes.

The new 7 Series comes only in a 3215mm long wheelbase and 5391mm overall length. A more powerful i7 M70 xDrive is yet to be confirmed for Australia.

Being a luxury vehicle the i7 is daubed in expensive features including daytime running lights with Swarovski crystals. The exterior is also notable for another rendition of over-sized kidney grilles and LED headlight units split into two sections.

A ‘Grand Entrance’ light sequence accompanies the automatic opening and closing doors.

A no-cost-option M Sport exterior pack provides a more aggressive look for thsoe who want it.

Inside is where the luxury is really evident though. That’s understandable considering many owners choose to ride in the rear seat and the 7 Series also has fleet applications as a chauffeur vehicle.

A 31.3-inch rear seat theatre screen and a 39-speaker Bowers and Wilkins audio system are interior highlights, along with Merino leather/cashmere trim and a panoramic glass roof with light threads. Rear seats are multi-functional.

The i7 also features environmentally-friendly materials like Econyl, which uses recycled nylon from fishing nets for floor coverings.

Other prominent interior elements include the BMW Interaction Bar, which appears like a piece of crystal jewellery and spans the length of the instrument panel.

The display changes its colour signature depending on preference while also enabling air conditioning functions and the flow of air to be adjusted by touch rather than dial or switch.

The BMW iDrive controller, start/stop button, volume roller dial, gear selector and seat adjustment buttons are all finished in crystal cut glass.

Driving the i7 is aided by two-axle air suspension with adaptive dampers, rear steering, active roll stabilisation and comfort and a new-generation parking assistant.

The i7 also comes with a five-year Chargefox subscription and relevant cables, a BMW Wallbox and a six-year servicing package.

After the i7 the next new BMW EV on-sale in Australia will be the iX1 compact SUV due in the first quarter of 2023. An electrified 5 Series is also on the local schedule.

A more powerful i7 M70 xDrive remains unconfirmed for Australia.