2027 BMW i7 gets Neue Klasse tech, 350-mile range, and 250 kW charging

BMW pulled the covers off the 2027 7 Series this morning at concurrent events in New York and Beijing, revealing a seventh-generation flagship sedan that becomes the first luxury model to adopt technology from the company’s Neue Klasse platform. The lineup opens with four variants at launch, including two all-electric i7 models, and adds a plug-in hybrid and an eventual V8-powered M Performance sedan later in the cycle.

For luxury shoppers weighing an electric flagship, the headline numbers land where BMW needs them. The new i7 60 xDrive is expected to deliver more than 350 miles of range on a single charge, based on preliminary estimates under EPA test procedures, while peak DC fast charging climbs from 195 kW to 250 kW. BMW says a 10-80% refill takes about 28 minutes at a capable charger. The i7 also adopts a native NACS port, giving owners adapter-free access to the Tesla Supercharger network from day one.

Pricing and lineup

At launch, buyers can choose from the all-electric BMW i7 50 xDrive and i7 60 xDrive, as well as the combustion-powered BMW 740 and 740 xDrive. The base i7 50 xDrive starts at $107,750, including a $1,550 destination charge, with two motors producing a combined 449 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque. BMW quotes a 0 to 60 mph time of roughly 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph.

The i7 60 xDrive steps up to $126,250, including the same $1,550 destination charge, with 536 horsepower and 549 lb-ft. That translates to a 4.6-second sprint to 60 mph and an electronically limited top speed of 149 mph. Both i7 variants come standard with all-wheel drive.

On the combustion side, the 2027 BMW 740 starts at $101,350 with destination, and the 740 xDrive comes in at $104,350. Both use a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six making 394 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, up slightly from the outgoing generation, thanks to an updated turbocharger. BMW says the 740 xDrive reaches 60 mph in under five seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

The plug-in hybrid 750e xDrive follows in the first quarter of 2027. It pairs the same inline-six, here making 308 horsepower, with a 194-horsepower electric motor integrated into the transmission, for a combined 483 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid matches the i7 60 xDrive’s 4.6-second 0 to 60 time and is capped at 155 mph, or 87 mph on electric power alone. BMW has not released pricing or electric range estimates for the 750e, and production is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

A V8-powered M Performance variant will arrive later, though BMW has not shared a timetable or technical specs for that model. For context on where BMW’s performance branch is headed with electric power, the company previously confirmed that its electric M models will use a quad-motor architecture starting in 2027.

Battery, motors, and Neue Klasse underpinnings

The biggest technical change for the i7 sits under the floor. BMW has swapped the outgoing Gen5 prismatic battery cells for sixth-generation cylindrical cells, the same format introduced in the all-new iX3, the first product of BMW’s Neue Klasse platform. BMW says the new cells have a 20 percent higher volumetric energy density than the cells they replace, and usable energy rises by more than 10 percent to a maximum of 112.5 kWh net.

The battery case keeps the same external dimensions as the outgoing pack, which BMW says is unique within its all-electric portfolio. Pairing the higher-density cells with a silicon carbide inverter and friction-reduced wheel bearings, the company claims, yields an overall efficiency gain of up to 7%.

BMW’s electric motors in the i7 use an electrically excited synchronous design rather than permanent magnets, which allows the company to avoid rare-earth metals in the rotor. An adaptive recuperation system uses navigation and sensor data to adjust regen strength based on the road ahead, and can bring the car to a complete stop behind another vehicle or at a red light without driver input. A selectable B position gives drivers the familiar one-pedal experience when they want it.

The Neue Klasse tech rollout is not limited to the battery. BMW has extended the same electronic architecture it developed for the entry-level i3 electric sedan, its first Neue Klasse 3 Series, into the 7 Series. The new E/E architecture consolidates computing into high-performance centralized controllers that BMW says offer 20 times the processing power of the outgoing system. A zonal wiring harness reduces harness weight by roughly 30 percent and saves about 2,000 feet of wiring per car.

Cabin technology and Panoramic iDrive

Inside, the 2027 7 Series debuts the BMW Panoramic iDrive display and operating system. A full-width projection called BMW Panoramic Vision stretches from A-pillar to A-pillar along the base of the windshield, showing driving information on the driver’s side and customizable content for the rest of the cabin. A 17.9-inch central touchscreen sits next to it in a freestanding free-cut design, and for the first time in any BMW, a standard 14.6-inch passenger-side display joins the dashboard as the BMW Passenger Screen.

Rear-seat occupants get an updated BMW Theater Screen that now measures 31.3 inches and carries 8K resolution. The whole surface is now touch-operable, and the system adds Zoom video calling through a built-in camera, along with support for apps from the BMW ConnectedDrive Store and AirConsole gaming. An optional Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System supports Dolby Atmos, with up to 36 speakers and 1,925 watts of amplification.

Underneath it all is BMW Operating System X, built on the Android Open Source Project. Up to seven users can sign in with a BMW ID and carry their settings across the car’s displays. BMW is also integrating Amazon’s large language model, Alexa+, into the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, initially in the German and US markets, to support more conversational voice control and access to third-party services.

Driver assistance and chassis

BMW calls its new driver assistance approach Symbiotic Drive. The system is capped at SAE Level 2, but it is designed so that driver inputs like steering, throttle, or brake do not immediately turn off the assistance. Active safety features include a lane-keeping assistant with active return, blind-spot detection, side collision protection, front cross-traffic warning with automatic braking, and forward collision mitigation that now also reacts to wildlife on the road.

An optional Adaptive Chassis Control Professional package adds 48-volt active roll stabilization, rear-axle steering, and an Active Roll Comfort feature that raises one side of the body to counter single-wheel bumps. Standard Parking Assistant Plus handles semi-automated parking and can now record and replay maneuvers up to 650 feet long.

Production and rollout

BMW will build every version of the 2027 7 Series, including the electric i7 variants, on a single production line at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in Lower Bavaria. Production is scheduled to start in July 2026, with the worldwide market launch following shortly thereafter. Customers interested in BMW Individual Dual-Finish paint, a hand-applied two-tone finish that BMW says takes more than 75 hours in the paint shop, will pay for the time: the process takes almost six times as long as a conventional finish and is exclusive to the 7 Series.

For buyers tracking the broader EV luxury segment, the new i7 arrives with a stronger range figure than the outgoing model, a faster charge curve, and an NACS port that solves the biggest friction point for BMW electric drivers heading into 2027. Gas and plug-in hybrid fans keep their options, too, but the story here is about putting Neue Klasse technology into a flagship sedan for the first time.