2023 BMW i7

From 50 feet away only the most eagle-eyed car fanatic will be able to tell the 2023 BMW i7 apart from a V8 760i xDrive, and that’s by design. BMW doesn’t see the fully electric i7 as a separate model but as one more powertrain variation of the all-new seventh-generation 7. While the i7’s closest competitors, the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Lucid Air, ask buyers to take big leaps of faith and style, the 7 Series has been a long-time luxury leader and a big seller. Beyond electrification, BMW saw no reason to radically alter its recipe.

Ironically, the new 7 Series might be the most conservative in more than two decades. Aside from the big grilles that always set internet forums alight, it’s a traditional and uncontroversial shape compared to every 7 since 2001. It’s ultra-modern inside though, with an all-new and heavily digital interior, new sustainable materials and new active safety capabilities. But the i7 is the most different of the lot, ditching the gas engines for twin electric motors and a 101.7 kWh battery pack slung under the floor. With 536 horsepower on tap, it’s also very nearly as fast as the V8 version.

In contrast to this familiarity is the competition. The wind-tunnel-shaped EQS bears only a vague resemblance to Mercedes-Benz’s traditional flagship S-Class, but the aero optimization gives it more range than the BMW. The Lucid’s unbeatable range, breathtaking performance and beautiful interior are offset but its unfamiliarity. The Tesla Model S offers the company’s supercharger network, lengthy range and lightning speed, but it is nowhere near as luxurious, well made or spacious as these other alternatives. Audi’s A8 and the Genesis G90 compete with the 7 Series but are gas-only.

While not as fast as the Air Grand Touring, the i7 packs real punch for a three-ton limo. With 536 horsepower and 549 pound-feet of torque, zero-to-60 takes 4.1 seconds and it never lacks for power, though it is slightly less athletic on twisty roads than the V8 760i and doesn’t throw you into the seat like the Lucid. The i7 can return up to 319 miles of range, and charge at up to 195 kW. It’ll charge from 10 to 80% in 34 minutes at a DC fast charger and fully juice at home (Level 2) in 10.5 hours.

The familiarity of the 7 Series, and its growth with this generation, play to traditional strengths inside. It’s far more luxurious than Tesla in there, and there’s as much (or more) room in the back as in any of its rivals. Beautiful materials like cashmere-blend fabrics, and crystal-like ambient lighting fixtures make it beautiful, as does the giant curved display, featuring a 12.3-inch driver’s screen and a 14.9-inch infotainment unit. The iDrive 8 software and digital assistant work well too, though like its rivals the i7 has a few too many touchscreens and menus.

BMW had also given the i7, like the other 7 Series models, some truly excellent active-safety features. Active Driving Assistant Pro and Highway Assistant provide limited hands-free highway capability and they work very well, though they do cost $2,100 over the already-towering price. Munich’s decision to keep the i7 looking, feeling and driving so much like its gas counterpart distinctly sets it apart from its rivals. It does fall short on range and cargo room, but it makes the EV transition easy and over-delivers on the comfort, presence and feel traditional luxury sedan buyers like.

Performance: 13/15

For now, the i7 comes only one way, as the dual-motor xDrive60. A hotter M70 model is likely to be added later, but the xDrive60 is plenty satisfying. The two electric motors combined give 536 horsepower and 549 pound-feet of torque which, as in other EVs, is instantaneously applied when you step on it.

Zero-to-60 takes 4.5 seconds, just behind the 760i V8, and despite this nearly 18-foot-long car’s huge heft, it’s surprisingly agile. There’s little drama unless you’ve got BMW’s “Iconic sounds electric” noises on (in Sport or Expressive mode, each quite different) turned on, just effortless acceleration and lots of grip. Sport mode also slightly lowers the standard adaptive air suspension by 0.4 inches and firms up the suspension.

The i7 is a deft handler for a car of such size and weight, but it never lets you entirely forget how heavy it is. It’s less agile than the lighter V8 760i xDrive, and you’ll feel it if you try both on the same twisty roads. That said, few buyers will ever do that, and the i7 is highly capable for what it is. And it never compromises on ride quality or smoothness, even when you’re pushing the i7 pretty hard. 

At low speeds, the rear wheels turn up to 3.5 degrees against the fronts to help make this nearly 18-foot-long car easier to park and maneuver. (They turn with the fronts at high speed to add stability). A new stability control system is faster, and some of the Herculean grip when you’re going full tilt on a twity road is down to an effective torque vectoring system that uses the regular brakes and the forward electric motor to fine-tune inputs and maximize the tire’s contact patch.

There are three levels of brake regeneration, though many drivers will put it straight into one-pedal mode and keep it there. It isn’t as aggressive as Tesla’s one-pedal, and while the feel of the accelerator pedal changes slightly with the different drive modes, it doesn’t have the EQS’ disconcerting moving brake pedal. Energy recuperation is excellent, as are overall brake feel and the big car’s stopping distances.

Range, Energy Use & Charging: 11/15

On the standard 19-inch wheels, the EPA rates the i7’s range at 319 miles, but as on other EVs from Lucid and Tesla, stylish big wheels and aggressive tires reduce range, with the 21-inch optional rims reducing it to 308 and the 20-inchers (which come with Performance tires) 296. 

Even the longest-range i7 falls short of the EQS (340 miles), the Model S (405) or the best-in-the-industry Lucid (up to 469 to 516). The i7 also falls a little short on energy efficiency, with 83 to 89 MPGe depending on the wheels and tires to the EQS’ 95 to 103 and the 120+ figures at Tesla and Lucid. BMW’s range estimator is very accurate though and constantly adjusts to your driving, terrain and local conditions.

On a DC fast charger, the i7 can juice from 10% to 80% in 34 minutes, charging at up to 195 kW. Note to newbies: that doesn’t mean a constant 195 kW. It’ll start out slightly lower, peak at 195 and then fall as the battery gets closer to 80%, and that’s meant to preserve battery life. BMW partners with Electrify America for three years of unlimited free charging sessions on the i7, but finding DC fast chargers that can do more than 50 kW is still hit or miss.

Most owners will do the vast majority of charging at home, however, on a home Level 2 charger. The i7 will fully juice its 101.7 kWh pack in 10.5 hours at home, about an hour more than the EQS but an hour or two less than Tesla or Lucid. 

Although it doesn’t necessarily affect range, BMW does not use excited magnets in its electric motors and therefore uses fewer rare earth metals in their construction than its rivals. 

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 12/15

Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have yet tested the i7 and (like the EQS and Lucid) probably won’t anytime soon. That said, the i7’s crash structure is extremely robust, and its active-safety systems are comprehensive and world-class.

Unfortunately, they’re not all standard, although the basics like automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitoring and lane departure warnings are. Getting the full suite requires adding a $2,100 Driving Assistance Professional package. Opting for this package, and we suspect almost every i7 that makes its way to dealer lots will be so equipped, gets you the full slate even if it only breaks out two separate systems on paper: Active Driving Assistant Pro and Highway Assistant.

In concert they provide adaptive cruise with a pretty seamless Level 2, largely hands-free experience, at least on the highway. It can also do hands-free lane changes and is always monitoring the vehicles on either side, though they can feel somewhat abrupt. It’s not as smooth as GM’s Super Cruise, but works very well. Pro tip? Don’t wear a mask in the car, as its facial recognition system can’t monitor you effectively and won’t allow you to engage “assist plus.”

Comfort & Room: 15/15

This is a big luxury limousine and it feels it, with lots of passenger room and plush accommodations. The i7’s battery pack means a fractional amount of backseat room in the gas-powered 7 Series models is lost, but even Nikola Jokić would have a hard time telling the difference. Up front, there’s plenty of room for big and tall drivers and every seat in the house is comfortable and supportive.

In back, the i7’s 42.8 inches of rear legroom are the largest in the class, although Lucid’s back seat comes very close (its official measurements do not accurately reflect the room), and a couple of inches ahead of Mercedes-Benz. The Tesla S, by far the smallest of these cars on the outside and within, is completely outclassed in this area by these competitors. 

BMW also offers four-place individual seating and a reclining rear passenger’s seat, sort of like the business-class lie-flats you’d find on a Singapore Airlines Airbus A350. Rear seating and climate controls are adjustable via iPhone-sized screens in the doors.

Infotainment: 13/15

As in the iX SUV, i7 drivers are greeted by a massive curved display that integrates a 12.3-inch drivers’ screen with a 14.9-inch infotainment display running BMW’s iDrive 8 system. The graphics on these screens are absolutely gorgeous, and there are even “art modes” to showcase them. They also change when you put the car into different “my modes,” which is BMW’s new lingo for “drive modes.” There are also ports aplenty for various devices and two more screens on the rear doors for backseat functions.

Everything in the i7 is done via touchscreens or steering wheel controls, a situation that is also mostly true of Lucid, Tesla and the EQS. iDrive 8 is a great operating system and works like a charm on models with fewer digital features, like BMW’s new X1, but there’s a lot going on here, and maybe too many things are routed through screens. Using the seat heaters and ventilators requires at least two swipes while the car is in motion.

iDrive 8’s personal assistant, however, is always at your beck and call. Simply say “hey BMW” and it’ll ask you for a command or question—80% of the time it’ll get the right answer. Because of the sheer number of features and settings, especially with the optional 31-inch rear theater screen, it’ll take most users some time to master the i7’s digital controls. This is also true, however, of the competition.

Cargo Space & Storage: 10/15

For a car this large, the i7’s trunk is a bit of an afterthought, and here the battery pack and onboard charging equipment makes its presence known. There are 11.4 cubic-feet of space back there, 2.3 less than the gas-powered 7 Series and about the same amount shy of the Mercedes S-Class and Genesis G90. It’s also far short of its electric competitors. 

Lucid offers 22.1 cu-ft from its clamshell-style trunk, while the Tesla S and EQS are hatchbacks, which are inherently going to have more space. The Tesla has 25 cu-ft behind the rear seats and the EQS 22, but both expand to much larger amounts if you fold down the rear seats. Tesla and Lucid also offer “frunks,” though the Lucid is by far the bigger of the two, with 10 more cubes.

The i7 also stumbles on small item storage, with a teeny-tiny console bin, a small-ish glovebox and only moderately sized door bins.

Style & Design: 8/10

Modern BMWs are never far from design controversy, but aside from its big grilles, the new 7 Series is one of the most staid and stately designs from the automaker in years. It’s huge at 212.2 inches long (6.9 inches longer than the S-Class and 4.8 inches longer than the old 7), but that length and the smooth, unadorned sides make it handsome, not bulky. It’s also got plenty of aerodynamic optimizations, it just doesn’t advertise it.

Inside, the cabin is full of beautiful details and gorgeous ambient lighting, although some surfaces can get glarey. Unlike Lucid, BMW provides a sliding scrim under its panoramic sunroof to shield passengers from the sun if they prefer. There are also new fabrics and materials, including a cashmere blend that feels more luxurious than any standard cloth and looks it too.

Is the 2023 BMW i7 Worth it? Which i7 is the Best Value? 

The most luxurious and fanciest of the new 7 Series models, the i7 is also the most expensive, for now. There’s only one way to get it, as the xDrive60 starting at $120,295 (including a $995 destination fee). At this price, the question of value is as much one of the heart as one of the head, but the i7 does promise lower energy costs over time than its gas siblings with little or no sacrifice in luxury, technology or capability. 

It’s also less than the Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 ($123,560) or Lucid Air Grand Touring ($155,650) and materially more car than the Tesla S ($106,440). BMW’s mile-long options list can inflate the price though, and the four i7 units we drove both stickered for over $150,000.

Lots of features are available, including the Level 2 driver assist gear ($2,100), massaging and ventilated rear seats ($600) surround view monitoring and parking assist ($1,250) and, famously, the rear theater screen. 

That’s part of the Rear Executive Lounge Seating package ($7,250), but there’s also an “Executive Package 2” that has even more fancy doo-dads including automatic opening and closing doors, active roll stabilization, crystal pattern headlights and front massaging seats. Though advertised at $3,700, it also requires the optional Bowers & Wilkins audio system ($4,800). It’s easy for it to all add up, and expect dealers with early units in stock to have ones that are fairly loaded.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the BMW i7?

The i7 is a brand-new machine, so its insurance costs may vary, but we expect them to be closer to the gas 7 Series than the Mercedes-Benz EQS is to the S-Class. According to our research, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium starting at $5,027 for a top-of-the-line gas 7, though this averages all 50 states. For comparison, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4Matic runs $5,608 while a Tesla Model S owner might pay up to $4,436 (or $5,469 for a Plaid). For a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.