The All-Electric BMW i7 Saloon: The Complete Guide For The UK

BMW i7 electric car
Price: £108,305
Type of electric vehicle: Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body type: Saloon
Battery size: 105.7 kWh
Electric range (WLTP): 367 - 387 miles
Tailpipe emissions: 0g (CO2/km)


Overview


BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), is a leading global automotive manufacturer headquartered in Munich, Germany. BMW is well known for its portfolio of luxury vehicles, to include the famed Rolls-Royce luxury cars. The group manufacturers a number of cars under its BMW brand, to include battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

The BMW i3 EV is an excellent example of a successful pure electric car. The company currently has the following portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs):



Electric Cars: The Basics


For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:


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The All-Electric BMW i7 Saloon


The BMW 7 Series, a luxury saloon, has been manufactured since 1977. The vehicle is currently on its sixth generation. The BMW 7 Series is also available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). When it comes to ultra-luxury saloon pure electric cars, the options are limited to the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Porsche electric cars.

For both families and company-car drivers keen on an environmentally-friendly luxury all-electric car, the BMW i7 is worth consideration. Of course, for owners of the conventional BMW 7 series internal combustion engine (ICE) car, the BMW i7 is a natural evolution.

The BMW i7 premium saloon car is available in one EV battery size: 105.7 kWh, and has a claimed pure electric range up to 387 miles. The EV battery size and zero-emission electric range is similar to many of the more recent introductions of pure electric cars i.e. there is a trend of increasing EV battery size and longer zero-emission electric range.

Of course, the real-world EV range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include: speed, driving profile, regen braking profile, weather conditions, road conditions, tyre size, onboard services used, payload and more. Expect a real-world electric range closer to 330 miles. Still very impressive and certainly class-leading.

As is the case with electric cars, the BMW i7 has an onboard recuperation system that converts the kinetic energy during braking into electricity, further enhancing the efficiency of the electric vehicle and e-range. This is also known as regenerative braking. It does take some getting used to, but not long!

We at e-zoomed recommend a ‘topping up’ approach to charging an electric car. This way, there is always range readily available and moreover, a topping up approach reduces the amount of time required to charge. Regular charging is also beneficial for the long-term maintenance of the EV battery. BMW offers a 8 years or 100,000 miles, which is fast becoming the industry standard for EVs.

The electric vehicle (EV) can be DC charged up to 195 kW and can achieve a 0%-80% in 34 minutes (6 mins = 62 miles). All variants incorporate a 11 kW (3-phase) onboard charger, which can fully charge the EV in 10 hours and 30 minutes. However, given that most homes in the UK are restricted to single-phase (7.4 kW) power supply, expect the EV to take longer to charge. At 7.4 kW the EV can achieve a range of 62 miles in 2.27 hours.

The all-wheel drive BMW i7 xDrive60 electric saloon can achieve 0-62 mph in 4.7 seconds. The electric vehicle delivers a maximum power up to 544 hp and 745 Nm torque. The top speed of the EV is 149 mph. The EV offers up to 500 L boot space.

Interior quality, level of technology and equipment is in line with the premium price tag, to include: 14.9″ cured display (optional 31.3″ BMW theatre screen) etc. In terms of practicality, the BMW saloon offers ample headroom and legroom for passengers. The EV offers a 500 L boot.

The EV is suitable for both families and company-car drivers. Company-car drivers can take advantage of the low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-2%) tax rate for the electric car. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet. You can lease electric vehicles (EVs) via e-zoomed at very competitive prices!



PROS CONS
Good pure electric range Available in only one EV battery size
DC charging up to 195 kW. Three-phase (11 kW) onboard charger as standard Not built on a dedicated EV platform
Premium quality and refined drive Cheaper alternatives available

Gallery


The All-Electric BMW i7 Saloon (credit: BMW)


At A Glance
EV Type:Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body Type:Saloon
Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG):Not Available
Engine:Electric
Available In UK:Yes

Variants (4 Options)
BMW i7 xDrive60 Excellence (from £108,305)
BMW i7 xDrive60 Excellence Pro (from £127,305)
BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport (from £112,805)
BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport Pro (from £134,555)

EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:Available in one battery size: 105.7 kWh
Charging:195 kW DC charging (10%-80%: 34 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 10 hrs 30 mins)
Charge Port:Type 2
EV Cable Type: Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:0g (CO2/km)
EV Battery Warranty:8 years or 100,000 miles

Average Cost Of Residential Charging
Battery net capacity : 16.7 kWh £2.40
Battery net capacity : 30.0 kWh£4.32
Battery net capacity : 39.2 kWh£5.64
Battery net capacity : 45.0 kWh£6.48
Battery net capacity : 50.0 kWh£7.20
Battery net capacity : 64.0 kWh£9.22
Battery net capacity : 71.0 kWh£10.22
Battery net capacity : 77.0 kWh£11.09
Battery net capacity : 90.0 kWh£12.96
Battery net capacity : 100.0 kWh£14.40
  • Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in the UK varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for the UK is 14.40 p/kWh.
  • Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.

Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
  • Note 1: SoC: state of charge

Dimensions
Height (mm):1544
Width (mm):1950
Length (mm):5391
Wheelbase (mm):3215
Turning Circle (m):13.1
Boot Space (L):500

BMW i7 xDrive60
EV Battery Capacity:105.7 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):367 – 387 miles
Electric Energy Consumption (miles/kWh):3.2 – 3.4
Charging: 195 kW DC charging (10%-80%: 34 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 10 hrs 30 mins)
Top Speed:149 mph
0-62 mph:4.7 seconds
Drive: All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):400
Max Power (hp):544
Torque (Nm): 745
Transmission:Automatic
Seats:5
Doors:4
Unladen Weight-EU (kg):2,715
Colours:11
NCAP Safety Rating:N/A

While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.


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Author

Ashvin Suri

Ashvin has been involved with the renewables, energy efficiency and infrastructure sectors since 2006. He is passionate about the transition to a low-carbon economy and electric transportation. Ashvin commenced his career in 1994, working with US investment banks in New York. Post his MBA from the London Business School (1996-1998), he continued to work in investment banking at Flemings (London) and JPMorgan (London). His roles included corporate finance advisory, M&A and capital raising. He has been involved across diverse industry sectors, to include engineering, aerospace, oil & gas, airports and automotive across Asia and Europe. In 2010, he co-founded a solar development platform, for large scale ground and roof solar projects to include, the UK, Italy, Germany and France. He has also advised on various renewable energy (wind and solar) utility scale projects working with global institutional investors and independent power producers (IPP’s) in the renewable energy sector. He has also advised in key international markets like India, to include advising large-scale industrial and automotive group in India. Ashvin has also advised Indian Energy, an IPP backed by Guggenheim (a US$ 165 billion fund). He has also advised a US$ 2 billion, Singapore based group. Ashvin has also worked in the real estate and infrastructure sector, to including working with the Matrix Group (a US$ 4 billion property group in the UK) to launch one of the first few institutional real estate funds for the Indian real estate market. The fund was successfully launched with significant institutional support from the UK/ European markets. He has also advised on water infrastructure, to include advising a Swedish clean technology company in the water sector. He has also been involved with a number of early stage ventures.

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