BMWβs iX7 Gets Every Neue Klasse Upgrade Except The One That Would Make It Look Different
- BMW iX7 spotted testing again as brand prepares biggest EV yet.
- Electric X7 will share design with combustion model but lose tailpipes.
- Launch expected around 2027, probably ahead of combustion version.
BMW unveiled a radically redesigned and all-electric 3-Series last month, but the sports sedan isnβt the only machine with a blue and white propeller badge thatβs getting its first EV makeover. So is the big X7, as these spy shots of the new iX7 prove.
We first saw this upcoming electric flagship a few months ago, but in the wake of the arrival of the smaller Neue Klasse cars we now have an even better idea of what to expect when it it comes to the onboard tech.
Related: BMWβs Largest SUV Is About To Get A Lot More Interesting
Visually, donβt expect a revolution. The iX7 and combustion X7 are heading into BMWβs Neue Klasse design era, but way less aggressively than the i3 and iX3, which are targeting a younger audience.Β That means a familiar shape, now with Neue Klasse surfacing and flush handles, but still with an older-style big grille and split headlights rather than the visor-style nose treatment seen on its iX3 little brother.
SH Proshots
Flush-type grille kidneys, iX7 badges and of course the absence of tailpipes will help other drivers distinguish it from the X7, but otherwise, like the 5-Series and i5, and 7-Series and i7, the two differently-powered SUVs will look almost identical.
And like the i7, both versions of the X7 will ride on an updated version of BMWβs existing large SUV platform, so the company can build petrol and electric models side by side. Itβs a pragmatic move, even if it means the iX7 wonβt go full futuristic like the smaller Neue Klasse EVs.
800-Volt Fast Charging And A Long Range
SH Proshots
But that doesnβt mean itβll miss out on all the good NK tech. BMWβs latest battery know-how should make an appearance, with more energy-dense cells and faster charging thanks to 800 volt architecture. If the smaller iX3 can manage over 500 miles (805 km) of WLTP range, expect the iX7 to go equally far, helped by a much larger, probably 100+ kWh battery pack.
Dual motors and all-wheel drive will be standard, and as for power, donβt be surprised if a range-topping version pushes well beyond 800 hp (811 PS), because even those kind of numbers look pretty ordinary in the electric SUV world these days.
Grab a seat inside and youβll be met with BMWβs latest tech-heavy cabin, including its Panoramic iDrive media setup and head-up display. But the price of admission to that cabin is going be hefty when sales start in 2027, so donβt think youβre going to take one home for less than six figures.
SH Proshots