- bmw has released teaser images of the i7, the electric variant of the next-generation 7-series.
- the i7 is seen undergoing testing in arjeplog, sweden, close to the arctic circle.
- the i7 will be unveiled next year, and will be sold alongside gas-powered versions of the next 7 series.
last year, bmw announced that the next generation of its flagship sedan, the 7-series, would be available with a fully electric powertrain. now the bavarian automaker has confirmed that the ev version will be called i7 and provided teaser images of a camouflaged prototype testing in extreme conditions at the bmw group winter test center in sweden near the arctic circle. bmw says it is using the icy swedish roads to test driving dynamics and the electric powertrain’s ability to withstand the intense cold.
bmw’s camouflage is quite effective at masking the i7’s true design, but we are able to make out a few details. the horizontally-oriented headlights are set relatively low in the front end and there appears to be a cut line that extends across the top of the lights and the grille, creating a furrowed-brow look. thin vertical air intakes extend from the edges of the headlights, and there are small holes for battery cooling in the lower front bumper. the rear end is well-disguised, but we can make out the hofmeister kink in the side windows, a trademark bmw design element.
bmw says that the i7 will use the fifth generation of bmw’s edrive technology already seen in the ix suv. bmw is expected to offer gas-powered and hybridized versions of the next 7-series alongside the i7, explaining that the i7 is “based on the same vehicle concept as all further model variants of the bmw 7 series.” the i7 will be revealed at some point during 2022 and will compete with other luxury evs such as the mercedes eqs and lucid motors air.