BMW confirms EV in next-generation 7 Series lineup

KUALA LUMPUR: German luxury automobile manufacturer BMW has confirmed that its next-generation 7 Series lineup will have an electric vehicle (EV). It means that the luxury saloon will have the diesel, petrol, plug-in hybrid, and for the first time, an all-electric powertrain.

BMW chief executive officer Oliver Zipse, in a statement, said that all cars in the 7 Series will have a single architecture. The all-electric model, he said, will be positioned at the top of the 7 Series.

The Munich-headquartered company, in all probability, will retire the twin-turbocharged 6.6-litre V12 motor which hauls the M760Li. The engine outputs 601 PS maximum power and 800 Nm peak torque. The car attains 0-100 kmph in 3.7 seconds. The vehicle’s kerb weight is about 2.2 tonnes. With a high-power lithium-ion battery pack expected to be installed in the M760Li, the car is likely to weigh nearly 2.7 tonnes. The current model of the M760Li will go out of production in 2022, and the first car of the 7 Series with an all-electric powertrain is expected to debut in the same year.

Zipse said, according to BMW’s plans, different drive technologies would coexist alongside each other over the long term.

Besides the 7 Series, the BMW X3 is also expected to come in all the four popular powertrain options. These include the all-electric iX3 which will be manufactured in China, the i4, and the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

The Bavarian company plans to have at least 50 percent of its car portfolio electrified by 2030. It has targeted to have 25 percent of its new vehicle fleet electrified by next year.

BMW sells 21 different car models in the Malaysian market. The 1 Series 5-Door, priced at RM 185,000 is the cheapest BMW. The i8 Roadster, pegged at RM 1.51 million is the most expensive. The 740Le xDrive, priced at RM 594,800 in the only BMW 7 Series car sold in Malaysia. The car is hauled by a 2.2-litre petrol engine mated to a hybrid unit. The car’s combined output is 326 PS maximum power and 500 Nm peak torque. The company, meanwhile, is slated to launch the X5 2020 in April.

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