BMW’s push towards full electrification will become even more prominent starting in 2025. The Munich-based automaker is introducing a new EV-first platform, Neue Klasse, which will facilitate the introduction of electrified vehicles across the entire BMW lineup. We’ve already heard about the next-generation BMW X3 going electric, but now, sources have revealed more details. Insiders now state that the BMW iX7 lineup will also launch in 2027, featuring a series of different models: iX7 50, iX7 60 and iX7 M70.
Built on CLAR
The G67 BMW iX7 will be built on the flexible CLAR architecture. This means that the new electric crossovers will share the same platform as their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts, similar to the current iX3, i4, i5 and i7. In comparison, the forthcoming iX3 NA5 and iX4 NA6 are built on the Neue Klasse platform. Even though it won’t use the Neue Klasse platform, we expect the BMW iX7 to use the Gen 6 battery and motor technology.
Plenty of Power and Range
The power output and range of the BMW iX7 are still somewhat uncertain. Our own sources say that we should the iX7 models to match or get close to the range of Neue Klasse vehicles. For instance, some BMW iX7 models could achieve at least 700-800 km of electric range on the WLTP cycle, aligning with the 30% increase in range that BMW has promised for the Neue Klasse architecture. The power output is also likely to exceed the one we see today, so don’t be surprised if a top model like the iX7 M70 to have between 700 and 800 horsepower. In contrast, the current BMW i7 M70 delivers 650 horsepower.
Lauch Date – Late 2027
We expect the BMW iX7 to launch in late 2027 with production beginning at the Spartanburg plant in South Carolina. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse announced in 2022 that a new wave of investments at BMW’s largest plant in the world. According to the Chairman of the BMW Board, the Munich-based automaker will spend $1.7 billion at Plant Spartanburg to get the facility ready for the new wave of electric vehicles.
Zipse said at the time that at least six electric vehicles will enter production at the factory in South Carolina by 2030. The plant will go through a transformation over the next three years preparing for production in 2025 and first EV market launch in 2026. To support their arrival, $700 million will be invested in a new battery assembly facility located in Woodruff, SC.
First test mules of the G67 X7 and iX7 are likely to hit the road by 2026 and then we will have a general idea of what to expect in terms of design. Of course, some Neue Klasse design cues are likely to trickle into the CLAR-based models as well.
