i7

Make
BMW
Segment
Sedan

As Mercedes prepares to expand its electric EQ family with the upcoming EQS flagship sedan, BMW is busy developing the i7 as an electric equivalent to the next-generation 7 Series full-size sedan. Over the past year, our spies have caught BMW testing prototypes of its new Mercedes EQS fighter, and now new details have emerged.

According to a scoop by Car Magazine, the BMW i7 will pack a 100-kWh battery providing a driving range of over 300 miles, making it ideal for long-distance journeys. For comparison, the BMW i4 will have a 372-mile range, but the i7's extra weight means it will likely have a lower range. Allegedly, a pair of electric motors will produce a combined output of 523 horsepower while providing an all-wheel-drive setup.

This will make the i7 more powerful than the current 740i, which produces 335 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque from a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six and match the output of the current 750i and the i4. This falls short of the V12-powered M760i, however, which has 601 hp and 627 lb-ft on tap. But with recent trademark filings suggesting Mercedes-AMG is cooking up a hotter EQS, there's a good chance the BMW i7 will get the M performance treatment.

Visually, spy shots have revealed the i7 will not be getting a grille as large as the i4 Concept's. A prototype spied on top of a transporter a few months ago also sported short front overhangs and slimmer headlights positioned lower than the current model's, but we'll have to wait and see if the camouflage is deceiving us.

A multitude of cameras and sensors mounted to the car also suggest the i7 will be loaded with advanced autonomous technology.

We'll still have to wait a few years for the BMW i7 to arrive to find out if these latest rumors are true. BMW's electric onslaught begins this year with the launch of the iX3, followed by the i4 and iX next year and the i5 in 2022. The i7 is expected to debut a year later in 2023 along with the new combustion-powered 7 Series, allowing Mercedes to get a head start with the EQS due to go on sale next year.