BMW teased the i7 yesterday by showing the fullsize luxury sedan undergoing acoustic testing. While the main subject was to detail how the engineers made the electric 7 Series quiet on the inside, another tidbit was indirectly revealed. As with all automakers selling cars in Europe, the German premium brand had to include details about combined power consumption.
Consequently, the BMW i7’s WLTP range is quite possibly hiding in plain sight. With a combined power consumption of 22.5 – 19.5 kWh / 100 km and provided it gets the iX’s 105.2-kWh battery, we can (roughly) deduct its range. The electric SUV in the xDrive50 specification has a slightly higher combined power consumption of 23.0-19.8 kWh / 100 km.
The British folks at Auto Express did the math and ended up with approximately 400 miles (644 kilometers) of range. Their estimation is based on the iX xDrive50’s rating at 380 miles (611 km) in Europe’s optimistic WLTP cycle. An extra 20 miles (32 km) or so seem plausible since the i7 will have a sleeker body. Chances are it will also be a tad lighter since sedans typically weigh less than SUVs.
Bear in mind we’re strictly talking about WLTP since the EPA rating for the iX xDrive50 is substantially lower. With the standard 20-inch wheels, it returns 324 miles (521 kilometers). Step up to the 21-inch set and you lose 18 miles, at 305 miles (491 km). Going for the larger 22-inch alloys brings back some of that lost range thanks to the aero and lightweight design enabling a maximum range of 315 miles (507 km).
As with the SUV, expect BMW to sell the i7 in multiple configurations, alongside the combustion-engined 7 Series. A spicy BMW i7 M70 to echo the iX M60 will likely sit on top of the range, while a 760i with a new gasoline V8 could be the most potent ICE model. There will also be new diesel engines, plus plug-in hybrid powertrains to please everyone. Well, maybe not everyone since the V12 is not coming back…
[Source: Auto Express via EVGLOBE]
