Range anxiety, the fear of an electric car leaving you stranded because there’s no place to charge it, affects electric vehicle (EV) purchasing decisions. But as new technology leads to improved battery life and electric motor efficiency, even large luxury sedans, such as the 2023 BMW i7, provide electric-only driving ranges over 300 miles from a full charge. Typically, smaller-diameter wheels equipped with all-season tires get the highest EPA range estimates, but what if you prefer larger wheels and performance tires on your BMW?
2023 BMW i7 EPA estimated range breakdown
Upon its debut, the BMW listed an unofficial estimated maximum range of around 300 miles for the 2023 BMW i7. Since then, the EPA has performed its range tests on the i7 and awarded it an official estimated range between 296 miles and 318 miles, depending on the car’s installed tire and wheel package.
The lowest EPA range estimate, 296 miles, results from equipping the car with 20-inch wheels and standard all-season tires. To get the maximum 318-mile range from a fully charged i7, you’ll need to opt for the 19-inch wheels and similar all-season rubber. Interestingly, the trend toward smaller-wheels-equals-higher-range-estimates falls flat when mounting performance tires on the BMW i7’s optional 21-inch wheels, as that desirable combination results in an estimated 308 miles of electrified driving range.
While independent testing hasn’t verified these new EPA estimates, Edmunds found that the 2022 BMW iX all-electric SUV outperformed its EPA-estimated range during testing. However, the comparison between the 2023 BMW i7 and the 2022 iX isn’t apples to apples, as the i7’s battery has 101.7 kWh of usable energy, and the iX’s battery boasts 105.2 kWh. But with the Edmunds test iX beating its range estimate by over 60 miles, there’s hope that the EPA underestimated the i7 as well.
2023 BMW i7 drivetrain specs
BMW i7 | BMW Group
In addition to the 101.7 kWh battery pack, the 2023 BMW i7’s drivetrain consists of two electric motors providing 536 hr with 549 lb-ft of torque powering the all-wheel drive system. That’s enough power to propel the large luxurious i7 sedan from zero to 60 mph in a reported 4.5 seconds.
The BMW i7’s 101.7 kWh battery can gain up to 80 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes using a 195-kW DC fast charging system. As a bonus, purchasing a new 2023 BMW i7 comes with three years of free unlimited charging at Electrify America stations. However, most BMW i7 owners will likely charge their battery overnight at home except on rare occasions. Charging with a Level 2 installed at your home or office can recharge a depleted i7 battery in about 10 hours.
How does the 2023 BMW i7 stack up against the competition?
With a starting price of $120,295, the all-wheel drive 2023 BMW i7’s competition includes the Tesla Model S, Mercedes-Benz EQS 450, Lucid Air, Porsche Taycan, and the Audi e-Tron GT. It’s likely that, even with other electric BMWs providing ranges greater than estimated, models such as the Lucid Air Dream and Mercedes-Benz EQS will achieve more driving range than the BMW i7. While the EQS 450 carries a similar price to the BMW i7, the 2022 Lucid offering starts at $169,000.