In a few weeks, BMW plans to introduce its latest electric vehicle, the i7 luxury sedan. Before that, the German automaker offers a few teasers, some interesting specs and, of course, confirmation that this electric car will have an absolutely massive, completely unnecessary kidney-shaped grille.
In fairness, it should be noted that the radiator grille is an integral part of the identity of the automaker. That’s how you know a BMW is a BMW. So it goes without saying that the company will include it in its future electric vehicles, despite the fact that the car lacks an engine under the hood that needs to be cooled.
In fairness, it should be noted that the radiator grille is an integral part of the identity of the automaker.
BMW says the i7’s grille has been “completely rethought to give it a modern and unique look.” For example, the grille is outlined by a narrow strip of “exclusive crystal” LED, which helps to highlight it and perhaps draw more attention to it.
It should be noted that the company has recently come under fire on social media for its ever-expanding take on the classic grille. When asked about it last year, Don Smith, BMW’s product manager, said that while “it obviously doesn’t make sense to have an exposed grille,” the automaker’s customers “want it to look like a BMW.” Fair!
BMW claims that when it is introduced in April, the i7 will be “the world’s first all-electric luxury sedan.” The Mercedes-Benz EQS and Lucid Air may be very different, but the automaker certainly goes the extra mile with a claimed range of 580-610 km (360-379 miles) under the European WLTP standard and up to 305 km. miles (491 km) according to EPA estimates. The combined energy consumption will be 19.7-18.9 kWh per 100 km, according to WLTP, which is lower than previously advertised.
We also have some interior images for you to think about. The big news here is the inclusion of BMW’s ultra-wide 31-inch theater screen with a 32:9 panoramic display format and 8K streaming resolution. A screen that extends from the roof lining is designed for rear passengers, turning the sedan into a luxury mobile cinema. The i7 will also feature a Sky Lounge panoramic glass roof with LED filaments. It will be interesting to see how this interacts with the BMW cinema screen.
For the driver, the curved display starts behind the steering wheel and extends to the middle of the dashboard. This includes combining the 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 14.9-inch central infotainment screen into a single driver-facing unit. Thanks to the latest version of BMW iDrive software, the curved display will float above the dashboard, which is fast becoming a common feature in luxury cars.
BMW will have a slew of new electric vehicles coming out in the next few years with the goal of reaching 50 percent of the company’s sales by 2030. The company is developing an all-electric version of its 5 Series as well as the entry-level X1. SUV. Earlier this year, the company introduced the production iX3, an all-electric version of its best-selling X3 SUV that will only be available in Europe and China. In the US, deliveries of the BMW i4 sedan and iX SUV will begin later this year.
This means that almost all of the German luxury car maker’s most popular vehicles will soon have all-electric options. An all-electric version of the 3 Series, BMW’s most popular vehicle in the US, has already been spotted in camo testing.