A Comprehensive Guide To The 2024 BMW i7

Introduced in 2022, alongside the 7th generation 7 Series is the virtually identical, fully electric BMW i7. Even though executive style SUVs are fast gaining in terms of popularity, the i7 holds steadfast in the crème de le crème limo category. While the ICE 7 series starts $3,000 under 6 figures, the i7’s starting MSRP is right at $100k. There are actually a decent amount of benefits that come from deciding to purchase the more eco-friendly of the two. Besides free charging for two years, new for 2024, you can opt for the two-tone pedal to the metal M70.

The flagship 7 Series is known for its iconic technology and innovations in the automotive world. This generation is no different with a movie theater in the back seat, full self-driving abilities, doors that open and close on their own, and glass crystal lining the dashboard and even the center console. That’s not to say the i7 is perfect. The polarizing exterior design might not be for everyone, but hopefully, the plush interior will help melt their worries about that, while the automatic sun shades block out the rest of the world.

In this article, we’re going to take an in depth look into the i7’s offerings, from powertrains to price tags. We’ll take a look at its competitors and see how this car fit for a king stacks up. Offering insight into the many options that the interior and exterior of the 2024 BMW i7 comes with. Helping you decide whether or not the i7 is going to be your driver’s next driving car.

This guide provides comprehensive information provided by the manufacturer. HotCars sourced additional data for reliability (from J.D. Power), EPA gas mileage (Fueleconomy.gov), safety ratings (IIHS), and recalls (NHTSA). We evaluate five different metrics when determining a rating for each model. You can
read our Methodology page
for more information about how our rating system works.

What’s New For 2024?

As is, the 2024 BMW i7 is as luxurious and high-tech as can be. Therefore, the only new update you’ll see for the 2024 model year is the new hyper-charged i7 M70 xDrive Sedan. With it, you’ll be able to rocket all 6,100 pounds from 0 to 60 in a mind-boggling 3.5 seconds. The M70 will have 650 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque. It achieves this with two synchronous electric motors mounted on the front and rear axle, giving it the “xDrive” all-wheel drive badge. With the new M moniker for the i7, the ’24 models will also come with new paint color variants. Available at launch will be their two-toned Liquid Copper Metallic on the bottom, and the Sapphire Black Metallic on the upper half. Finally, the i7 will receive BMW’s latest iDrive 8.5 update, which features a new charging map and a more customizable home screen.

2024 Highlights

• M70 xDrive Trim boasts 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds.
• New two-tone color combination.
• Updated iDrive 8.5 operating system.
• New charge station map layout.

Exterior Dimensions

Specifications And Performance

A lot of high performance model electric vehicles (Tesla especially) have decided to employ the use of a tri-motor system to give their flagships an insane amount of instant power. BMW has decided to go against the grain and only use two motors across not only their standard all-wheel drive i7’s, but also their new M70. The motors by themselves are incredibly impressive in terms of power output. If you opt for the M70, it will give you 483 horsepower at the rear axle and 255 horsepower at the front axle. The standard rear-wheel drive eDrive 50 has a similar rear mounted motor, but the horsepower is decreased to 449. In opting for the xDrive 60 you receive a cool 536 horses giving you a seriously impressive 4.5 seconds 0 to 60 time.

Imagine you hire a chauffeur to drive your M70 and you say, “driver, can you engage launch control at this light? We’re going to be late.” That’s right, your M70 will come equipped with launch control rocketing you to your penthouse while you’re watching “Succession” on your 31-inch theater in the back seat. If you decide to go with one of the “regular” i7’s, then you’ll just have to suffer with regular Sport mode. Certain flagship EVs, like the Porsche Taycan, come with two speed transmissions in order to keep the battery, your speed and the motors constantly spinning to offer peak performance. The BMW i7, however, only offers one single speed transmission. BMW ensures that with the help of the traction control and the motor control unit working in tandem, that you will be rocketed to 60 without any hiccups or hesitations.

All 2024 BMW i7s come with the same suspension setup. Double wishbone in the front and a multi linkage system on the back axle. To give you extra comfort and stability, the i7s also come standard with an adaptive air suspension to really negate any noise or vibration, especially in the back seat. The M70 comes with an even more specially tuned suspension, helping along with the more dynamic driving you’ll be doing. According to BMW it will house a “two-axle air suspension with electronically controlled dampers and automatic self-leveling.” Putting four cherries on this M badged cake are the four oversize M disc brakes for peak performance on top of high-performance tires.

Performance Specifications

BMW i7 Charging Time And Range

For a vehicle of this length, size and weight, the BMW i7 has an impressive battery range. All models come equipped with the same 105.7 kWh battery pack, but BMW says that it’s only good for about 101 kWh. The eDrive 50 has the highest considerable range, from 301 to 321 depending on weather conditions, driving styles, etc. The M70 still has a range that is comparable to other EVs like the Audi Q8 E-Tron, which is pretty impressive considering how much power it outputs. Charging times are not nearly as impressive for level 1 or 2 charging capabilities, but this is pretty standard for a level 3 charger. If you buy an i7, you might as well get your house set up for a level two charging station because 70 hours on a level one charger is abysmal.

Abysmal level 1 charging times aside, your i7 will come equipped with a “Flexible Fast Charger.” This allows you to bring a level 1 or level 2 charger with you wherever you go. Like most automakers, BMW touts an at home level 2 charging station provided by Qmerit. The slim and sleek modern 240V charging box looks very BMW and gives you a more amicable charging experience for daily driving usage. If you’re in a pinch and need to charge your i7 in public, there are two years of complimentary charging thanks to Electrify America. No wallet, app or e-wallet are necessary. Just plug your i7 and set your timer for 30 minutes. The station will do the rest. Unfortunately, because new rules that were implemented, imported vehicles do not qualify for the $7,500 tax credit.

Interior Technology, Luxury, And Comfort

Best Interior Features Of The 2024 BMW i7

• Glass gear selector and center console controls.
• Rear ventilated/massage seats.
• Automatic closing doors.
• Rear touchscreen control panels.
• 15 upholstery options to choose from.
• Front Massage chair.

From the jump, the BMW 7 Series has been the blueprint for luxury and design. They have always been the preferred choice in ultra luxurious limousine designs. Now? They are above and beyond in terms of comfort and luxury and, some would say, are in a category of their own. There’s a lot to cover in the i7 so let’s cover from the front. The i7 was actually not the first BMW product to receive the curved LED informational display set up. That award goes to the iX, but the 7 series soon followed suit and is equipped with the widest version, clocking in at 27.2″ of screen. The crystal “interaction bar” beneath the giant LED screen houses a few tactile buttons, and actually changes colors based on what’s happening with the vehicle. It’ll flash with the hazards on and change based off what drive mod you’re using.

As previously mentioned, the upholstery comes in an impressive 15 different styles to choose from. The six extended Merino leather options come standard, while the full Merino leather will cost you from $5,400 to $6,400 depending on which packages you may or may not have already chosen. Not as many trims to choose from, but they all go perfectly with whatever upholstery you choose and are included except for the carbon fiber or open pore wood gain. That’ll set you back $1,100. The front seats come standard with heated and ventilated options, but opting for the executive package will enhance the front seat experience with massage chairs. The center console gets the crystal treatment as well, with a crystal gear selector, in addition to the iDrive controller.

Finally, to the best place to be in the i7, the back seat. The backseat has a slew of features that can be had no matter if it’s the base model or fully loaded. The backseat is a cocoon where you can not only relax while your i7 is charging, but also when your driver is taking you somewhere. There are power adjustable rear screen shades for each side as well as the rear windscreen. Those rise into place automatically if you decide to get the much sought after 31″ theater screen. The back seats are fully reclining and even come with a soft pillow, plus they can even boast massaging features, if you so choose. Not to mention that they can also be heated and ventilated.

Technology

Technology is at the forefront of the i7. The curved display features a 12.3″ instrumental panel for the driver and a massive 14.9″ screen for other occupants to also enjoy. Those screens are tiny in comparison to the 31 inch, 8k, touchscreen theater screen located in the back seat that makes the i7 all the more alluring to purchase for technophiles. It comes equipped with Amazon built in as well as 5G, so you won’t miss a single pixel or frame rate. This screen drops dramatically from the headliner while all the aforementioned sunshades block out the world. Once the theater screen is out of the way, you can see the optional LED panoramic moon roof on full display that is also customizable in what color it displays. The screen-addiction continues with the 5.5-inch control screens located on each side of the rear cabin. These control everything from the theater screen to your individual climate to the massaging heated and cooled seats.

BMW’s newest operating system is aptly dubbed iDrive 8.5. It offers a more customizable home screen as well as more static buttons on the bottom like temperature controls for the HVAC and a myriad of other shortcuts deemed easier to access. Your i7 can come with an optional heads up display for the driver, including street sign recognition as well as turn by turn navigation, giving it an augmented reality flair. Finally, if you feel like opening and closing the doors on your i7 is too much work, don’t worry, your i7 can come with automatic opening and closing doors with the push of a simple button.

Interior Dimensions

Cargo Capacity

Safety And Reliability

Not much has been done in terms of safety and reliability testing for the i7. Neither NHTSA nor IIHS have any results to show. There are also, unfortunately, no reliability ratings featured on J.D. Power either.

Driver Assistance Features

With BMW’s Driving Assistance Professional Package, you might not even need to hire a driver. That’s actually misleading, because the highway assistant closely monitors the driver’s attention span while it is driving your i7 at up to 85 MPH. Active driving assist is also included in this package and will help you avoid head-on collisions as well as side impact collisions. It can even detect pedestrians that pop up out of seemingly nowhere. Parking Assist Professional is included in the premium package, and has the ability to remember how you parked, as well as park in any space for you fully autonomously. Finally, in the same premium package comes a 360-degree camera that shows you an augmented reality version of your i7 and the surrounding environment.

• Highway assist with lane change capability.
• Crash avoidance.
• Parking Assist Professional with parking in any space.
• 360 degree augmented reality view of the vehicle.
• ACC Stop and Go cruise control.

IIHS Crash Testing

IIHS Hasn’t Released Any Crash Tests As Of Yet

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

There have been no crash tests done on the i7.

• Recalls (NHTSA): 1
• NHTSA Investigations: 0
• NHTSA Consumer Complaints: Customer complained that their knee hit the door release button whilst reversing the vehicle, to which no safety or hazard chimes were activated.
• Awards: n/a

Warranties

Just because the i7 may be fully electric, does not mean it comes with a specialized EV warranty. You can find the same standard-yet-comprehensive warranties listed on their ICE vehicles as well as their EVs. Opting for the “All Surface Protection” plan might be best for the i7 since the interior and exterior are covered for expensive materials. Standard warranties include 48 months/50,000 mile warranty for the powertrain, whichever number comes first. Depending on how hard you push your i7, you can also opt for the wheel and tire benefits, which offers tire replacement if you experience a hazard on the road.

*These tend to be standard across models, double check before using these figures

2024 BMW i7 Versus Its Competitors

Hey Tesla, I bet you think this song is about you. In fact, we’re going to be comparing it to two unlikely pairings in the full-size luxury limo segment. It’s the fully electric and new for 2024, the Genesis G80 Electrified and the Lucid Air. With the BMW i7 being identical to the 7 Series, and the fact that the 7 Series is a staple in this segment, it will be great to see how it stacks up to some newcomers. The Lucid is fully electric with no ICE powertrain to speak of, but the G80 has two different gas powertrains to choose from as well as its new (for the 2023 model year) electrified version. Can these newcomers stack up to the cemented 7 Series? Let’s find out.

How The Genesis G80 Electrified Compares To The BMW i7

• 	2024 BMW i7	2024 Genesis Electrified G80
  Make	BMW	Genesis
  Model	i7	Electrified G80
  Engine/Motor	Electric Motor	Electric Dual-Motor
  Horsepower	449 to 650 Horsepower	365 Horsepower
  Torque	549 to 748 Pound-Feet	516 Pound-Feet
  Drivetrain	RWD or AWD	AWD
  Transmission	1 Speed	1 Speed
  0-60 MPH	4.1 Seconds	4.1 Seconds
  MSRP	From $105,700	$80,000

Just like the i7, the G80 has made an electric version of itself available to the public. In terms of performance and battery capabilities: even though the Electrified G80 has a smaller battery pack at 87.2 kWh it actually has a competitive range. It clocks in at an impressive 282 miles of range, which is comparable to the M70 but might not fully stack up to the rest of the BMW lineup. Get up and go is decent too for the G80 as it bests its ICE version, but not necessarily the BMW. With a 0 to 60 time of 4.6 seconds and a total output of 365 horsepower, the E-G80 does pretty well for itself, but not enough to match that of the M70, or even the xDrive 60. Where the E-G80 bests the i7 is in the charging department. It clocks in a 0-80% charge time of 22 minutes on a level three charger. Not insane by any means, but either way, faster.

The Electrified G80 does have a leaner asking price than the i7 at around $75,000 for the “Advance” trim. The more posh “Prestige” trim will set you back $5,000 more, but can’t even hold a candle to the i7’s upper-crust interior. That’s not to say the E-G80 doesn’t come with nice features like a microfiber headliner and rear sunshades, but it’s no theater screen, that’s for sure. What they share in common technology wise is a similar highway drive assist with lane change. Genesis’ system is fairly robust and also features an attention-monitoring camera on the interior.

How The Lucid Air Compares To The BMW i7

• 	2023 Lucid Air	2024 BMW i7
  Make	Lucid Motors	BMW
  Model	Air	i7
  Engine/Motor	SINGLE/DUAL MOTOR 92 OR 112 KWH LITHIUM ION BATTERY PACK	Electric Motor
  Horsepower	480-1,200 hp	449 to 650 Horsepower
  Torque	443-921 lb-ft	549 to 748 Pound-Feet
  Drivetrain	RWD / AWD	RWD or AWD
  Transmission	1-SPEED DIRECT DRIVE	1 Speed
  MSRP	$87,400-$249,000	From $105,700

Newer to the game, is the full-size, fully electric Lucid Air. The Air has a wide range of starting prices for their launch vehicle, starting from a cool $74,000 all the up into the 200s with their newest edition: Lucid Air Sapphire. Additionally, wide in range (pun intended) are the batteries, motors and, appropriately, ranges. The base models have a smaller 92 kWh pack while the Grand Touring’s boast a 112 kWh pack. The ranges can go from an extremely generous 410 miles up to an even more generous 516 miles. That is not the only place that the Lucid excels over the BMW because it also features a front trunk where the i7 does not have one. Finally, it’s almost not even fair to compare the M70 to the Sapphire Edition, as the Sapphire achieves 0 to 60 in 1.8 seconds. You read that correctly.

The Lucid Air is also eligible for a tax credit up to $10,000 for the Grand Touring and $7,500 for the Touring and Pure. The interior on the Lucid has top-notch screens galore, and like a Tesla, is good for a few party tricks via its center console. It boasts a large cabin and if you opt for the executive package, you can get reclining chairs just like the i7. It’s not all fun and games for the Lucid, however. According to NHTSA’s complaint section, there are over 14 customer complaints that have been filed from speed control issues, to electrical problems and the like. That’s four fewer complaints than the launch edition, but still, worth mentioning.

How Much Does A 2024 BMW i7 Cost?

BMW’s website very proudly displays $1,299 for leasing the 2024 BMW i7. Of course, clicking on the fine print, you realize there’s almost ten thousand dollars due when signing for a 36-month lease term. Not to mention mileage caps. If leasing isn’t your thing, then you’ll have to fork over at least 6 figures for the base model eDrive 50. As was mentioned earlier, because it’s not made in the States, you will be unable to qualify for the electric vehicle tax credit. Seeing as there are options galore for the i7, you can choose whether you care more about the looks and design inside and out or whether you care more about the technology. Either that or you are so rich you can just max it out close to $200k and have it all.

Efficiency

EVs

Is It Worth Buying a BMW i7?

When I went to the 2023 New York International Auto Show, I finally got a chance to experience sitting in the back of this highly anticipated 7 series back seat. The back seat truly is an equal parts futuristic and super luxurious place to be. The funny part is, when I tried to get out I felt silly because I couldn’t find the door release and once I did, realized I somehow got locked inside and had to call a show attendant over to help get me out. All that to say, like a lot of BMWs as of late, their design language is very controversial. When images of this generation’s 7 series first dropped, people were up in arms about how wildly different it looked from any other 7 Series of the past. From its separating lighting signature to the hotly contested oversize (sometimes light up) kidney grilles. Personally, when it first came out, I was on the nay-sayers side. The more I look at it, the more I actually like the way that it looks.

Each of these flagship full-size limo-style sedans are going to be unique in their offerings. The i7 offers the most out of all them because it so closely resembles its ICE version. It doesn’t give up headroom like the Genesis Electrified G-80, and they didn’t have to make two new models like Mercedes-Benz. They stuck to their guns and almost reinvented the wheel with what could be made possible with an interior such as this one.

So, should you buy it? I think that depends on if you have or are planning to have a level 2 charging station set up in your home. If not, then this might not be the one for you. Regarding the price point, I think the range is actually very competitive. It’s not a Lucid Air, but it’s better than most. I have not driven one myself, but what other critic friends of mine have said is that the ICE versions are just as smooth to accelerate as the EV versions. Price wise, it all comes out relatively the same once options are chosen and upholstery is set. I personally would go for the twin-turbo V8, but that’s because I don’t want to spend 30 to 40 minutes at an Electrify America (that’s if the charging station is even operable).

Sources: BMW, IIHS, NHTSA, Genesis, Lucid, fueleconomy.gov