Article Summary
- The amber daytime running lights are shared with both the V8-powered 7 Series prototype and the Vision BMW ALPINA concept.
- The absence of engine noise and ALPINA's signature quad exhaust tips are telltale signs that this camouflaged test car is fully electric.
- The electric BMW ALPINA 7 Series will likely be based on the recently facelifted i7 M70 xDrive.
Back in 2021, BMWBLOG spoke with Andreas Bovensiepen while he was still running ALPINA, a year before the BMW Group bought the brand. During our exclusive interview, we learned that customers had little interest in buying an electric car:
“If you were to transfer eight-cylinder driving behavior to an EV, the ranges would probably be a maximum of 200 kilometers. Especially when I want to go fast, it just doesn’t work. That’s why we’re deliberately holding back. The market is not yet ready for our customers.”
But that was then, and this is now. In 2026, ALPINA is a separate brand within the BMW Group, positioned between the 7 Series/X7 and the Rolls-Royce Ghost/Cullinan. The brand’s new owner sees things differently, so we’re not surprised this prototype may be the first fully electric ALPINA to undergo testing.
Enough Range To Make An ALPINA EV Feasible
Battery technology has progressed immensely over the last five years. Thanks to Gen6 cylindrical battery cells and a little help from Rimac, the i7 can travel up to 726 kilometers on a single charge. Granted, an ALPINA version will likely be based on the i7 M70, which has a lower WLTP range rating, but 686 kilometers should be enough to (mostly) cure range anxiety.
As for the prototype at hand, it looks an awful lot like the camouflaged 7 Series that BMW ALPINA showed earlier this week. However, the lack of quad exhaust tips and engine noise suggests this one is fully electric. Another telltale sign is the license plate ending in “E.” Although plug-in hybrids can also carry this type of plate, we don’t think there’s an engine hiding underneath that massive hood. The amber daytime running lights are likely to become an ALPINA trait since the V8 had them, and so did the stunning Vision coupe concept.
An electric ALPINA shouldn’t really come as a big surprise, though. When we sat down with BMW’s Head of Design for Upper Mid-Size, Luxury Class, and ALPINA earlier this year, Maximilian Missoni hinted that an EV would be part of the lineup:
“I would say the same rule applies as we have for BMW as a brand, so technology openness, so even ALPINA will offer both powertrain options. The customers will have a choice out of the portfolio of powertrains of the respective BMW vehicles, and then they will get the ALPINA treatment and be maxed out in terms of power and performance and comfort and luxury, but it’s the same offer — that’s the beauty of being within the group.”
The BMW Alpina i7 Is Likely To Cost Over 200,000 Euros
Like the V8-powered model, the fully electric BMW ALPINA 7 Series will carry the “G72” internal codename, rather than the “G70” designation used by the regular 7 Series. We don’t need a crystal ball to figure out that it will cost considerably more than an i7 M70, which starts at €182,400 in Germany. That’s before you start adding options, so it’s safe to say the fully equipped ALPINA equivalent will carry a price tag north of €200,000.
As sacrilegious as the idea of an electric ALPINA might seem to traditionalists, it does make sense. Full-size luxury sedans prioritize comfort, making electric powertrains a natural fit. BMW knows it won’t convince everyone to go electric, so the V8 will appeal to ICE loyalists. Rumor has it there might even be a six-cylinder version, but BMW hasn’t confirmed anything yet.
What has been confirmed is that the first ALPINA model of the BMW era will arrive in 2027. Soon after, the second-generation X7 will also get the ALPINA treatment. And if the X9 does make it to production, a more upscale version would make plenty of sense.
Video: ringprototypes / Instagram
