Seamlessly Electric

The i7 smoothly integrates an EV powertrain into the new 7-series megasedan.

-  CSABA CSERE

2023 BMW 17  

Should an EV look different from a gasoline-powered equivalent, or is electric power now just another powertrain choice, like picking between a four- and a six-cylinder engine? BMW's redesigned 7-series comes down firmly in the latter camp with the i7.

Substantial and elegant, the new 7 has presence. Some of that is down to sheer size: This BMW is the largest car in its segment by a fair amount. The sedan's 212.2-inch overall length is just over five inches greater than before-though the wheelbase grew by just 0.2 inch (there's no short-wheelbase version). It's also almost two inches wider and is 2.6 inches taller.

The height increase is mainly due to the 4.9-inch-deep underfloor battery compartment, which houses a 101.7-kWh pack good for an EPA-estimated range of 296 to 318 miles, depending on wheel and tire size. Its electrons energize a 255-hp front motor and a 308-hp rear unit for a total of 536 horsepower and 549 pound-feet of torque. Both motors use excited-field coils rather than permanent magnets to avoid the need for rare-earth elements.