BMW is increasing its electric vehicle lineup in the United States this summer with the addition of two new variants for the i4 fastback and i7 luxury sedan.
The BMW i4 lineup will add a new all-wheel-drive variant, the i4 xDrive40, which will slot below the i4 M50, while the BMW i7 will gain a rear-wheel-drive variant called i7 eDrive50.
The 2024 BMW i4 xDrive40 features a dual-motor electric powertrain producing a total of 396 horsepower (295 kilowatts) and 443 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque, enough for a 0-60 mph sprint in 4.9 seconds.
The model is powered by a lithium-ion battery with a net usable energy content of 80.7 kilowatt-hours. BMW estimates a driving range of 307 miles when the i4 xDrive40 is fitted with the standard 18-inch wheels or 282 miles with the optional 19-inch wheels.
The automaker also says the battery can be recharged at up to 205 kW on a DC fast charger, but doesn’t provide a 10-80 percent SoC charging time. The 2024 BMW i4 xDrive40 will have a starting MSRP of $62,595 (including $995 destination and handling), with US deliveries expected to start in Q3 2023.
Moving on to the 2024 BMW i7 eDrive50, it will be an entry-level model – if we can call a $100K luxury sedan that – that will slot below the i7 xDrive60.
The i7 eDrive50 features a single Gen5 motor powertrain sending 449 hp (335 kW) to the rear axle. Arriving this fall, the i7 eDrive50 will start at $106,695 (including $995 shipping). BMW will announce range and performance figures closer to market launch.
In addition to the i7 eDrive50, BMW USA is also introducing a new plug-in hybrid model for the 7 Series called 750e xDrive. The model pairs a 308-hp TwinPower Turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder gas engine with a 194-hp Gen5 electric motor mounted in the transmission.
The maximum system output is 483 hp (360 kW) and 516 lb-ft (699 Nm) of torque, while purely electric range is estimated at over 35 miles. The 2024 BMW 750e xDrive will be priced from $107,995 (including $995 shipping) when it enters the US market in the fall of 2023.
Another important update announced by the carmaker regards the BMW Operating System 8.5, the next evolution of BMW's iDrive operating system. It will be introduced in the iX, i4, and 7 Series lineups – it's not clear if that includes the i7 – beginning with July production.
