BMW i7 is the flagship luxury sedan of the German brand, which we already thoroughly reviewed. Now, we are focusing on its consumption and energy efficiency. The i7 is BMW’s first full-size electric vehicle and as such it has to meet a very high standard to be a worthy successor to the 7 series throne.
The i7 has questionable looks, which spark many discussions globally, but there’s no doubt it is among the most technologically-advanced vehicles on the market. The whole vehicle oozes luxury and high technologies, enabling a truly unique driving experience.
The model we tested is the BMW i7 xDrive60, which comes with AWD and 400 kW (544 hp) output. But for the purposes of this review we don’t really care about its power, moreso about its range, which should be huge given the massive 105.7 kWh battery (101.7 kWh usable). So let’s look at how the i7 xDrive60 performed when driven at constant speeds at the same place with each car we test.
For such a big and heavy vehicle, the i7 shows impressive energy consumption levels, comparable to some much smaller vehicles. Even though the xDrive60 as equipped weighed close to 3 tonnes, the range test results are impressive. The i7 looks like it is angular and not very aerodynamic, but in reality it has a low drag coefficient of 0.24 Cd.
At our lowest testing speed of 37 mph the i7 makes excellent use of its huge battery, reaching a range north of 497 miles in one charge.
Once it goes to 56 mph its size starts to take its toll. The figures in this case are actually close to what we achieved in a daytrip we did in the i7, which goes to show that this is the kind of range many should be getting in their daily driving.
At the highest testing speed of 81 mph the i7 impressed with its modest consumption increase. This makes it a great choice for a highway cruiser, which is exactly what big luxury sedans are mainly used for.
In conclusion, the i7 shines with its efficiency at high speeds and fully capitalizes on its big battery around the city. While efficiency may not be the prime reason one buys a car for well over £90,000, it definitely helps that the i7 performs great in that category as well.
We now suggest you use the widget below to find out the i7’s range in every combination of speed and temperature you might need. We’ve used our real world tests and a complex model to provide an estimate that should be as close to the actual performance as possible.
