BMW revealed its new 7 Series this week, with the German carmaker showcasing both a petrol-powered and fully electric version of its flagship vehicle.

While the former will likely turn a few heads, it is the latter that immediately grabs our attention, especially as the company continues to flesh out its EV lineup with the BMW i7.

There are several iterations of the BMW i7 on the cards, with an xDrive 60 model expected in the second of 2022. This is to be followed by an M xDrive 70 in late 2023, along with two plug-in hybrid models in the new year too.

For now though, it is the xDrive 60 variant that we will be focusing on. Starting with the powertrain and a slimmer battery design is reportedly at work here. This has not impacted performance, however, as the combined power output from both the front and rear systems delivers up to 405kW and 745Nm of torque.

This mix yields a 0 – 100km/h time of roughly 4.7 seconds, so this large sedan definitely has some get up and go. In terms of pricing range, the BMW i7 xDrive 60 can muster up to 624 kilometres off of a single full charge, depending on how far down you’re putting the pedal of course.

The interior has also been well kitted out, with the new 7 Series being the first to feature what BMW calls a Theater Screen system in the rear, which the company showcased at CES earlier in the year. It is an 31″ ultra-wide display that supports up to 8K content, supports Amazon Fire TV and is tuned by Bowers and Wilkins.

There are a bevy of screens scattered across the cabin too, with some even sitting next to the interior door handles as well, facilitating controls for the air-con and media of the vehicle.

This car is definitely designed with those who have enough money to be chauffeur driven around in mind.

At the time of writing, local availability and pricing has not been detailed, but there is a landing page for the new i7 on BMW’s South African website.

Earmarked for the US, China and “selected markets” in the coming months, Stateside prices for the new BMW i7 xDrive 60 start at $119 300 (~R1.8 million). That converted price should go up quite a bit once local pricing is revealed, however.