BMW’s i7 M70 xDrive is its top-of-the-range electric sedan, offering comfort without compromising on performance and sustainability
The BMW 7 Series has been setting standards among luxury sedans since 1977 with its unmatched combination of comfort, elegance, driving power and technical innovation. In recent years, it’s added sustainability to that mix in the shape of the i7, a model that has reshaped expectations of electric vehicles.
The i7 comes in three models: the i7 eDrive50, the i7 eDrive50 M Sport Edition – and, for the discerning driver who values a little extra muscle under the bonnet, the top of the range i7 M70 xDrive.
The i7 is available in three models. Photo: Handout
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For a luxury sedan, it packs a bracingly powerful punch. The i7 M70 xDrive offers 660hp of power allied to 1,100Nm of torque, unlocking some serious acceleration – going from zero to 100km/h in just 3.7 seconds. The battery provides the same level of performance: with a capacity of 101.7kWh, it gives the vehicle an impressive range of up to 560km. When it does need to be charged, it powers up quickly: to 80 per cent in just 34 minutes with DC charging at up to 195kW.
Neither does all that advanced engineering come at a cost to the environment. Its twin electric motors allow it to run free from emissions, and they’re also made without the use of rare earth metals. The battery uses advanced technologies such as adaptive recuperation to achieve high levels of energy efficiency. Then there’s the hi-tech factory in Germany where the entire BMW i7 range is made, which runs entirely on renewable energy, cutting the climate impact of production by 18 per cent.
The interiors of BMW cars are always plush. Photo: Handout
All this tech is packed inside an imposing body, a full 5,391mm in length, while its profile has grown more authoritative compared to previous models, with the width upped by 48mm to 1,950mm, and the height by 51mm to 1,544mm. Its dynamic shape is enhanced by the option of two-tone paintwork, available for the first time, while chrome exterior accents add ever more elegance.
As you’d expect from any BMW, the interior likewise ticks all the luxe boxes, from the seats made from Merino leather with wool and cashmere accents to the wooden trim in the cabin. It all adds up to an impressive display of aesthetic sophistication, allied – particularly in the BMW i7 M70 xDrive – to the sort of power that turns heads.
