2023 BMW i7 teased: Electric sedan confirmed, shown testing in the snow

BMW has released teaser images of the 2023 i7, confirming an electric version of the all-new 7 Series luxury sedan will join the BMW i sub-brand.

The disguised prototypes seen here were snapped during suspension tuning at BMW’s winter testing facility in Arjeplog, Sweden, positioned just below the Arctic Circle.

BMW says its engineers are using the frozen surfaces and snow-covered roads to test the electric sedan’s ability to withstand freezing climates, in addition to evaluating the driving dynamics of the i7.

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The German company claims the i7 is the ‘world’s first all-electric luxury sedan’, although it will compete against the Mercedes-Benz EQS globally and the Lucid Air in the United States.

It will also go up against the smaller Audi E-Tron GT, Mercedes-Benz EQE, Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S electric sedans.

Sharing the bulk of its design with the next-generation 7 Series, the i7 features a limousine-like body with traditional three-box sedan proportions and a long wheelbase.

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Design-wise, the camouflage makes it difficult to discern the finer details of the i7’s styling, but a pair of lower, horizontally-orientated, headlights can be seen. These will likely matched to a slim daytime running lamp strip positioned higher up – similar in nature to the forthcoming XM performance SUV.

There is also a thin set of air intakes below the headlights, as well as a larger ‘kidney’ grille with a more-reserved design in comparison to some of BMW's other fresh reveals.

The brand’s iconic Hofmeister kink has been retained in the C-pillar, while a set of flush door handles similar to the iX will feature.

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Inside, both the i7 and 7 Series are expected to pick up a cabin design akin to the iX, which is headlined by a curved dash featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment system running BMW’s latest iDrive 8 user interface.

BMW has confirmed the i7 will ride on the same cluster architecture (CLAR) – first debuted on the current-generation 7 Series – as its internal-combustion twin, with the scalable platform also underpinning the electric i4 and iX models.

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Above: BMW iX interior

In addition, BMW says the i7 will utilise the fifth-generation version of the brand’s eDrive technology, as seen in the iX crossover. No powertrain details have been released, however the iX is available with three powertrain options: xDrive40, xDrive50 and the flagship M60.

In mid-range xDrive50 configuration, the iX produces 385kW of power and 765Nm and torque, allowing for a 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds and a claimed driving range of around 630 kilometres.

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Stepping up to the flagship performance-orientated iX M60 boosts power outputs to 440kW, with full details yet to be announced.

These two powertrains are expected to sit underneath the i7, with the lower-slung design of the electric sedan likely allowing for additional driving range.

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Above: the current internal-combustion BMW 7 Series

BMW is expected to unveil the 2023 i7 in the coming months, with the flagship electric sedan likely to enter production before the end of 2022 alongside its internal-combustion 7 Series twin.