Remember when electric vehicles were the antithesis of cool; decidedly strange yet futuristic little compact cars that essentially screamed to the world, “I run on electricity!”? It wasn’t until the ‘00s when models like the Tesla Roadster and, later, the Renault Fluence Z.E. debuted to show that you could drive combustion-free in style. These days, nearly every marque is electrifying its most revered production models. Last year, BMW rolled out the i7, an EV version of its own flagship 7 Series full-size luxury sedan. Now, the i7 gets a more powerful edition called the i7 M70 xDrive.
A notch above the iX M60’s 610hp and 811lb.ft of torque, the new BMW M with all-wheel drive is the marque’s quickest and most powerful EV yet. It features a pair of electric motors that boast 660hp (the standard i7 puts out 536hp), 818lb.ft of max torque, a 0 to 60 time of 3.7 seconds, and a curtailed top speed of 155mph. However, the impressive torque and acceleration numbers are only available by activating either the M Launch Control or M Sport Boost functions (without these functions, you still get 748lb.ft of torque). Likewise, the 101.7kWh battery provides a max range between 303 and 348 miles.
Much like a battery saver option on your phone, the new i7 M70 features a new MAX RANGE mode which scales back certain functions to achieve an extra 15% to 25% of driving range with a max speed of 56mph. This is optimal for those who can’t get to a charging station in time and are willing to sacrifice certain comfort amenities such as seat heating and climate control. For the exterior, the i7 M70 brings an elevated presence as well with M-specific mirrors, M badging, and bespoke inlays in the rear bumper. A total of nine color variants are available for the interior, which also features illuminated door sills, merino leather trim, and M-specific content on the curved control display.
No price has been given yet for the i7 M70 xDrive, but you can obviously expect it to cost more than the standard i7 at $119,300. Head over to BMW’s website to learn more.
