BMW Begins Testing i7 And 2022 7-Series PHEV Prototypes

The next-generation BMW 7-Series will be available with a wide range of powertrains, among them gasoline and diesel, hybrids and of course an all-electric solution which should power the so-called i7 variant.

We’ve seen the i7 prototype before, except during its spy debut it wasn’t being driven and those images weren’t quite as revealing as these recent batches. Visually, we expect the vehicle to feature a somewhat conservative shape, compared to the Mercedes EQS at least.

Despite being fully camouflaged, these prototypes appear to have more of a “shark nose” shape out front than the current 7-Series, while the profile looks elegant, with a strong shoulder line and pop-out door handles.

It’s hard to tell right now exactly where this car’s headlights are going to be positioned, but it’s possible they might sit lower than they do in the G11. As for the interior, everything will be digital, from the gauge cluster to the infotainment system, although we don’t know the exact layout yet.

We can also merely speculate with regards to power units. Of course, it’s unlikely that BMW would allow Mercedes to leave them in the dust with the EQS, which means the i7 should be competitively specified in relation to its direct rival.

Then there’s the plug-in hybrid variant, which as you can see looks pretty much the same as the fully electric one – minor aesthetic differences should be expected though, like a different grille or the fact that the PHEV has quad pipes at the rear while the i7 does not.

The all-new BMW 7-Series and all of its derivatives should make their public debut sometime in 2022. The i7 will challenge not only the Mercedes EQS, but also the next-gen Jaguar XJ, which will be fully electric.