It was about a year ago when BMW introduced the electric i7. Today, the automaker reveals the potent 2024 i7 M70 xDrive model. BMW will build it in its Dingolfing, Germany, factory, with the worldwide market launch set to begin in the second half of 2023. The sedan makes its debut at Auto Shanghai international motor show.
More Power, Please
The new i7 M70 xDrive features BMW’s most powerful electric motor. The company increased the power density of the rear-axle motor by 25.5 percent over the unit in the i7 xDrive60. The increase in power came from doubling the number of excitation windings in the electric motor from three to six. The rear one produces 483 horsepower, which works with the 255-hp front-axle motor to give the EV a combined output of 650 hp and all-wheel drive.
The powertrain also produces 748 pound-feet of torque in Sport mode. That increases to 811 lb-ft when the driver activates the M Sport Boost or M Launch Control functions. The electric sedan can sprint from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds, making it the brand’s quickest fully electric model. The automaker electronically limits its top speed to 155 miles per hour.
Battery By The Numbers
The i7 M70 xDrive’s battery pack provides 101.7 kilowatt hours of usable energy out of its 105.7-kilowatt-hour capacity. This gives the EV an estimated range of up to 295 miles based on the US EPA’s test procedure standards. The i7 xDrive60 returns around 300 miles depending on wheel size. It features 11-kW AC charging and up to 195 kW of DC, which can recharge the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 34 minutes.
To maximize range in an emergency, the i7 M70 also comes with BMW’s new Max Range mode that limits the car’s top speed to 56 mph and restricts comfort functions like climate control and heated seats, which helps stretch the remaining electrons. A small pop-up window with the recalculated range appears on the driver’s display. BMW designed the mode for critical situations, like when rerouting to an alternative charging point.
Comfort And Style
The powerful i7 will launch with a standard two-axle air suspension with auto self-leveling and electronically controlled dampers. The i7 M70 features Integral Active Steering and Active Roll Stabilization, while a shear panel between the bulkhead and spring strut towers increases the sedan’s front-end rigidity.
Providing the stopping power for the 5,929-pound i7 are blue M Sport brakes with the M logo. BMW will offer the model with the optional M Performance Professional package that paints the calipers black. Standard are 21-inch light-alloy wheels with a Jet Black finish and high-gloss metal inserts. The automaker will also offer optional high-performance tires on the i7 for the first time, which will wrap around 20-inch rims.
The i7 M70 will feature M-specific design touches like side skirts, logos, the Shadowline trim, and black twin-spoke exterior mirrors. The BMW has a model-specific rear apron and diffuser insert at the back. The M Performance Professional pack alters the styling with a black M rear spoiler, a black accent strip between the taillights, a black grille surround, and a black rear apron inlay.
BMW will offer the i7 M70 xDrive with its M-exclusive exterior colors and matte-finish Frozen paints. The company will offer two-tone finishes and, at launch, will have a BMW Individual Liquid Copper and Sapphire Black combination. The i7 will be available in eight two-tone variants and over 100 BMW Individual paint colors.
The i7 M70 is also launching with BMW’s updated operating system. BMW iDrive OS 8.5 features an improved menu structure and QuickSelect functionality that’s designed to show the correct information in the right places while taking cues from consumer electronics. It’s supposed to be simpler and faster.
BMW did not provide any pricing details for the 2024 i7 M70 xDrive. The company will release that information closer to its production start date. The entry-level i7 starts at just over $120,000, and the i7 M70 should cost more than that.
