It was six months ago when I landed behind the wheel of a BMW i7 prototype. The test car was on its final testing legs before being unleashed into the world. Since, I’ve spent countless times with the new 7 Series, from inside out. But last month, a new opportunity to test the i7 came up. The location? The beautiful and sunny Palm Springs where BMW hosted the International Media Launch of the 760i, i7 and X7 Facelift.
Of course, I didn’t expect a lot of technical changes from the i7 prototype, but at the same time, I was quite excited to test the electric limousine through some of the great driving roads surrounding Palms Springs. And while the i7 might not be a track car, it’s still quite fun to see what it can do under heavy loads. Of co urse, there were plenty of flat highways where I could also experience some of the latest driving assistance features.
The fully electric sedan in European specification tips the scales at 2,640 kilograms (5,820 pounds) without a driver. But it makes up for it with a dual motor setup, made using no rare earth materials at all. Maximum power output is 536 horsepower and 549 lb-ft of torque, which gives it the same horsepower as the BMW 760i. According to BMW, 0-60 mph happens in 4.5 seconds and the i7 has a top speed of 149 mph. Now if you need more power, BMW has you covered with an eBoost Mode which provides some additional horsepower in the Sport Mode.
Those two electric motors, which provide torque-vectoring all-wheel drive, get their energy from a 101.7 kWh (usable) battery pack, which is said to be capable of up to 300 miles of range. That range figure is a BMW-estimated figure, based on EPA testing procedures. Unfortunately, the route was not setup for maximum efficiency, but rather for most fun. So I’ll have to wait for a week-long test to determine the real life electric range.
But here is what I can report based on my 3.5 hours trip which included a combination of backroads…
