2026 BMW i7 Specs, Redesign, Price
2026 BMW i7 Specs, Redesign, Price – With its most recent 7 Series, BMW may have welcomed the future, but for the time being, it is hedging its bets by offering both completely electric and gasoline-hybrid alternatives. The latter is the one being considered; it will go by the name 2026 BMW i7 and come in three primary varieties. The portfolio includes the entry-level eDrive50, which has 449 horsepower, the xDrive60, which has 537 horsepower extra power for four-wheel drive, and the xDrive M70, which has 650 horsepower.
There are two primary trim levels available in the UK: Excellence, which has an emphasis on comfort and luxury, and the well-known M Sport, which is sportier and has larger wheels and a racer-style appearance. For just less than £18,000, each of these trim levels can be upgraded to “Pro” specification, which comes with almost all of the regular car’s options—as you would expect for that kind of money.
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series have long offered a fundamentally sportier approach to the luxury limousine industry, but none of the 7 Series models seem to better blend comfort and driving appeal than the i7. The Mercedes EQS, which is available in both normal and performance-focused Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 variants, is Mercedes-Benz’s rival in this particular market niche for electric vehicles. Moreover, plug-in hybrid variants of the base S-Class are available. The fully electric Audi A8 limousine is no longer available; only the hybrid version is. 2026 BMW i7 Specs
2026 BMW i7 Redesign and Update Plan
Exterior & Interior
The first step in any discussion about the inside of the 2026 BMW i7 must be to simply open the door. Automatic doors are an optional feature for the i7, albeit we’ve occasionally noted that they operate a touch weirdly. Passengers in the back seats must use two tiny touchpads inside the rear doors in order to change the temperature and sitting position, among other things. Although they could respond a bit more, they are still quite easy to deal with.
Even more roomy than the “G12” long-wheelbase 7 Series of the previous generation, the i7’s back cabin offers plenty of room for passengers. The one drawback is the oversized transmission tunnel in the center, which is to be expected considering that the 7 Series and ICE-powered cars share this platform. The “BMW Interaction Bar” is positioned in the front and spans the dashboard and inner door panels to accomplish three functions.
The first is an assortment of elegant ambient lighting images including sports and efficiency themes. Additionally, it can offer visual cues for safety (such a proximity alert). Thirdly, it serves as a surface for additional controls, including the demisting buttons on the front and rear windows.
The button for the caution light is in the middle, but it should be somewhere else. The plastic lens makes an exceptionally loud creaking sound and needs a very firm push in order to activate or disengage the Interaction Bar. Overall, the i7 appears to be a very well-made and pricey item, thus this is one of the rare occasions where we may criticize the build quality.
The Theater Screen, which is standard on the Excellence Pro and M Sport Pro models and an optional extra that costs about £4,500 on lower i7 trims, dominates the infotainment system of the 2026 BMW i7. This massive 31.3-inch screen takes up a lot of space in the back passenger area and has 8K resolution.
We weren’t really impressed with it, either, as not much of the material makes advantage of the screen’s breadth. Most TV shows and movies have huge black bars on each side, so everyone in the backseat will have to gently adjust their heads to see enough of the material, with the exception of the BMW advertising trailers.
The screen unit’s bezel is right in front of your eyes if you face forward. You could be better off going with the far less expensive tablet holder option since two smaller displays, albeit they have less visual effect, are significantly more useful.
Upgrade to the Bowers and Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound system, which is offered in the nearly £30,000 Ultimate bundle or the £5,775) Technology Plus package. A hi-fi update is also included in this “everything, including the kitchen sink” combo. It offers superior sound quality, which makes watching movies at home more enjoyable. Apart from that, it offers all the contemporary connections and features you would anticipate from the flagship model of a high-end brand. 2026 BMW i7 Specs
2026 BMW i7 Specs
Engine & Performance
The 5.4-meter-long and massive 2.7-ton weight of the 2026 BMW i7 is surprisingly agile, especially with four-wheel drive and the option of rear-wheel steering. In tighter turns, the back wheels move in the opposite direction as the front ones, giving the system a noticeable feeling of pivoting. Additionally, this greatly reduces the length of turning circles, enabling more seamless low-speed maneuvers. To help with stability at faster speeds, the rear wheels rotate in unison with the front ones.
With the aid of this technology and a variable-ratio steering gear, the huge front end of the i7 can be readily positioned in turns. This kind of automobile doesn’t particularly mind not getting input from the road surface. Whatever the situation, the power assistance’s weighting is carefully calibrated to offer confidence when navigating a twisting B road. The absence of body roll is the standout feature; the i7 manages turns astonishingly flat. It’s difficult to determine how much of this is attributable to the twin-chamber air suspension or the optional 48-volt active anti-roll bars.
Because the i7 is an electric vehicle (EV), its low center of gravity and low battery pack position help to offset some of its weight drawbacks. By choosing the rear-wheel drive eDrive50, which does away with the front electric motor and sheds about 120 kg of weight, the i7 may be made lighter. That does not equate to improved handling—something we will talk about later—or a longer driving range for the i7. We would contend that since it saves you about £14,000 instead of lowering the performance of the i7, having it is justified.
The 449 horsepower eDrive50 basic model and the 536 horsepower four-wheel drive xDrive60 four-wheel drive variation can both reach 60 mph in 5.5 and 4.7 seconds, respectively. There is a sporty side to the 2026 BMW i7 as well. The xDrive60’s greater peak speed of 149 mph compared to the eDrive50’s maximum speed of 127 mph is not significant in the UK unless you frequently travel on an unrestricted Autobahn, so we advise going with the less costly model.
The M70 xDrive’s potent 650 horsepower twin engine and four-wheel drive setup would probably entice those looking for the quickest i7. It reduces the duration from 0 to 62 mph to 3.7 seconds and increases the maximum speed to a restricted 155 mph.
The one thing performance electric vehicles lack is the noise feedback that comes with speeding. As a result, you may combine the i7’s strong acceleration with Hans Zimmer’s science fiction film score. If you would like to sit in silence, you may eliminate this feature, however some people might find that the i7 performs rather well with it.
2026 BMW i7 Fuel Economy
All 2026 BMW i7 models come with a 105.7kWh (101.7kWh useable) battery pack, which according to specifications and wheel size has a range of 338.6 to 386.5 miles on the WLTP test cycle. We were surprised to see that, although most consumers probably won’t be bothered about a loss of less than 10 miles in the official range, the lighter rear-wheel drive eDrive50 didn’t have the best range when compared to the xDrive60.
However, in our tests, we were only able to achieve 2.6 miles per kWh out of the i7 in the four-wheel drive xDrive60 configuration. Based on the usable capacity, this equates to 265 miles of range; however, the fact that our test was conducted in chilly weather didn’t help the issue. Based on our past encounters with the i7, we anticipate achieving a 300-mile fully charged range, or three miles per kWh.
Maximum AC charging power of 11 kW and maximum DC power of 195 kW are both possible for the 2026 BMW i7. This suggests that a suitably quick ultra-rapid charger may fully recharge a battery that is between 10 and 80 percent charged in roughly 30 minutes; in contrast, a standard 7.4kW home wallbox charger will take more than 16 hours to fully recharge a dead battery.
Is there one particular area where the i7 excels? Unlike the Audi A8 55 TDi S-Line, which is subject to a 37% tax rate, it is eligible for the 2% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) business car tax category. This is a significant tax savings when compared to a more conventionally powered limousine choice, and the i7 is free from vehicle excise duty (VED) and the London Congestion Charge through 2025. This is especially crucial if you are using the vehicle for commercial purposes.
2026 BMW i7 Safety Features
The most recent Driver Power ownership satisfaction study from 2024 did not include the 2026 BMW i7. Despite this, the BMW brand did rather well, coming in at number 14 out of 32 manufacturers, a significant difference from Mercedes, which came in at number 25, and Audi, which came in at number 27. Owners commended BMWs for their dependability, safety features, entertainment system, ride and handling, and powertrains. Still, running costs came in for a lot of criticism.
Even though the i7 (or the closely comparable BMW 7 Series) does not have a Euro NCAP rating, it should be a very safe vehicle thanks to its extensive array of driver aid and safety systems. Searching for an NCAP-rated luxury electric vehicle? You might be interested in the Mercedes EQS, which was awarded a flawless five stars in 2021.
2026 BMW i7 Release Date & Price
The 2026 BMW i7 is big, roomy, and quite comfortable for its target market. It may be even cozier if you choose for the Executive Pack or Rear Comfort Pack, which transforms the i7 into a vehicle that resembles a living room on wheels.
Conclusion
The 2026 BMW i7 marks the introduction of electric power into the premium vehicle market, after the brand’s decision to offer both hybrid and all-electric versions of its renowned 7 Series luxury sedan. The line’s flagship model, the i7, is a completely contemporary interpretation of the classic limousine that puts the highest priority on elegance and luxury. It has a ton of cutting-edge technology, much of which is quite helpful. BMW has undoubtedly produced a fantastic premium vehicle, but one that may be too strong and evident for some. Its appearance is undoubtedly outstanding.
Note: The details included in this blog post are derived from pre-release material that was accessible when the article was written. If you want the latest information, you should check official sources or call your nearest dealership.
