The BMW i7 Will Be the All-Electric Version of the New 7 Series

What is the i7?
BMW took a serious stab at electrification in the mid-2010s with the i3 electric hatchback and the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. And though it's released plug-in versions of its sedans and SUVs in the intervening years, BMW hasn't produced a new electric car in quite some time. That will change with the upcoming BMW i7, a large luxury sedan that will top BMW's electric lineup.

As its name suggests, the i7 should be similar in size and concept to the 7 Series. A redesigned version of BMW's long-running four-door is due sometime in 2022, and we expect the i7 will be unveiled around the same time. The automaker's versatile CLAR platform will likely underpin both vehicles, as it does the current 7 Series and a number of other BMWs. This is in contrast to the new Mercedes-Benz EQS; we believe Merc's new range-topping electric sedan is based on the EVA2 platform, which is specifically designed to accommodate electric vehicles.

Regardless of platform approach, the BMW i7 and Mercedes-Benz EQS are primed for a head-to-head electric showdown when they come to market. Factor in existing and upcoming rivals such as the Porsche Taycan, Tesla Model S, Lucid Air and Jaguar XJ, and captains of industry will have no want for choice in the luxury EV sedan market.

Edmunds says
The third vehicle to be released under BMW's i brand of electric vehicles, the BMW i7 is expected to be an all-electric version of the redesigned 7 Series. There's plenty of competition in the large electric sedan segment — the Porsche Taycan, Tesla Model S and Mercedes-Benz EQS come to mind — and BMW's history with EVs will give them solid footing once they enter the fray.