The 40th edition of the Copa del Rey MAPRE de Vela kicked off last week and BMW had some special models to display. The Palma de Mallorca event hosted the all-new BMW i7 electric limousine and the BMW iX1 electric crossover. Sustainability is the common denominator this year, so the new fleet of electric BMW cars fits the overall theme. The BMW i7 was unveiled earlier this year as the first ever electric 7 Series limousine.
First Ever Electric 7 Series
The BMW i7 xDrive60 is powered by dual electric motors, made using no rare earth materials at all. Maximum power output is 536 horsepower and 549 lb-ft of torque. According to BMW, 0-60 mph happens in 4.5 seconds and the i7 has a top speed of 149 mph. Those two electric motors, which provide torque-vectoring all-wheel drive, get their energy from a 101.7 kWh (usable) battery pack, which is said to be capable of up to 300 miles of range. That range figure is a BMW-estimated figure, based on EPA testing procedures.
It’s worth mentioning the xDrive60 is currently the sole member of the i7 lineup, but the family will grow in 2023 to include the M70. It will deliver a healthy power boost from 544 hp and 549 lb-ft (745 Nm) to 660 hp and a mountain-moving 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. It won’t be BMW’s most potent production car to date as that role has been reserved for the 750-hp XM.
But it’s not all about power. The new BMW i7 also comes with an impressive suite of tech goodies. So you get an incredibly cool “Interaction Bar,” which is essentially just a lighted bar of trim that wraps around the front cabin and can display different lights for different things. It can also be customized, to display whatever color the driver wants. It’s a bit gimmicky but in a good way. Then there’s the fantastic door panel touchscreens for the rear passengers, which are used to control everything about the rear cabin; climate controls, sunshades, and even the sensational, optional 31-inch theater screen.
Pulling a page out of Rolls-Royce’s book, the new BMW 7 Series also features automatic opening and closing doors. Press a button on the exterior door handle and the door will automatically open. Once inside the car, press a button on the interior door handle, and the door will automatically close. The new 7 Series might not be the best looking car in BMW’s history but it has BMW’s best cabin, its most luxurious interior, and the greatest tech the brand has ever had.
BMW iX1 Electric
Unfortunately, the BMW iX1 won’t come to the United States market. Initially, there will only be one model in Spain–the BMW iX1 xDrive30e. Being an xDrive model, it has two electric motors, one at each axle, which combine to make 308 horsepower (230 kW) and 364 lb-ft (494 Nm) of torque. BMW claims a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h). Providing the electricity to make that happen is a 64.7 kWh (usable) battery pack which, according to the WLTP cycle, should provide 413–438 km (257 – 272 miles) of range in the BMW iX1. At that 130 kW charging speed, BMW claims 10-80 percent state of charge of the BMW iX1 can be replenished in 29 minutes.
To see more photos of the two electric BMWs, click in the gallery below. [Photos by Laura G Guerra for BMW Spain]
