2024 BMW i7

BMW differentiates its trim levels by powertrain, and when it launched in 2023, this big EV came in one state of tune: the i7 xDrive60. For 2024, BMW is upping the ante with a new i7 M70 model. When it hits the road, it will be the most powerful electric car BMW has ever made, essentially guaranteeing that it will be quicker than the standard i7. It will also feature a number of M-specific modifications that should help it be more engaging to drive.

All i7 variants utilize a battery pack with 101.7 kWh of usable capacity. The big difference between the xDrive60 and M70 is how the two electric motors (one on the front axle, and the other on the rear) have been tuned. The M70's rear motor is 25.5% more power-dense than the standard i7's, and the result is a total system output of 650 hp and 748 lb-ft of torque in Sport mode. The car musters up to 811 lb-ft when the boost paddle is used or when launch control is engaged. Use the latter, BMW says, and the M70 will rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.

For comparison, the standard i7 xDrive60 makes 536 horsepower and 549 lb-ft of torque, which is strong enough to accelerate the i7 to 60 mph in an Edmunds-tested 4.3 seconds. That's a respectable figure, but the M70 model brings the i7 significantly closer to the pace of cars like the Lucid Air and Tesla Model S — though it's still no Plaid. Both versions of the i7 can charge at up to 195 kW on a DC fast charger, which isn't quite as speedy as some other EVs.

The driver-oriented dashboard is topped by two large screens under one long, slightly curved piece of glass. BMW's latest infotainment system packs a lot more features than the outgoing system, and the system in the M70 also gets unique designs to make the car both look and feel more sporty. This is illustrated by M-specific performance pages and different gauges in the instrument cluster. However, one of our biggest gripes with the i7 (and other BMWs that use iDrive 8) was that the interface simply isn't very intuitive. Thankfully it seems like BMW has recognized this issue and is launching the M70 with the updated iDrive 8.5. (Presumably BMW will roll this update out to other models.) It now comes with what BMW calls QuickSelect. The function essentially mimics your smartphone's homescreen and aims to make selecting various functions much easier. The result, BMW says, is a "focused, assured driving experience." We'll be sure to vet that claim.

The rear seat is arguably more impressive, especially when equipped with a frankly massive 31-inch, 8K rear entertainment screen with built-in Amazon Fire TV. The resolution is great, but the ultra-wide aspect ratio doesn't match anything in movies or television, so the image will either be cut off or letterboxed. And despite the width, the screen is only capable of playing one thing at a time. Honda offered a wide (but much smaller) screen in the rear of the Odyssey that was capable of playing two things at once. When it's lowered, the i7's big display completely blocks the driver's view out of the rear window, and there's no digital rearview mirror to maintain visibility. That said, it's pretty slick to put the car in Theater mode. The rear shades raise and the screen lowers. Feels a bit like turning the lights down at a movie theater.

This is BMW's largest sedan, so there's plenty of space in both rows. If there's no one in the front passenger seat, the right rear passenger can use a touchpad built into the door to push the passenger seat forward and stretch out in the rear. With the right package, you can almost lay the seat flat.