BMW M introduced the BMW i7 M70 xDrive, the most powerful model with an all-electric drive system in the overall BMW Group portfolio.
Equipped with an electric motor at both the front and rear axle generating a maximum system output of 485 kW and an M-specific chassis, the new BMW i7 M70 xDrive delivers the perfect combination of electric mobility and performance. The new BMW 7 Series model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, making it the fastest all-electric BMW model. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.
Producing the highest output ever for an all-electric car from the BMW Group, the BMW i7 M70 xDrive marks another milestone for BMW M GmbH in its electric mobility transformation.
The new all-electric performance model from BMW M made its global debut at the Auto Shanghai international motor show. It will be built at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, together with all other model variants of the luxury sedan. As well as being the lead plant for luxury models, the production facility in Lower Bavaria is also home to the competence centre for electric drive system production, which manufactures both the electric motors and the high-voltage batteries for all variants of the BMW i7 on site. The worldwide launch of the BMW i7 M70 xDrive will start in the second half of 2023.
All-electric BMW M Performance in the luxury segment
The fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology installed in the BMW i7 is being constantly developed in order to further improve both power output and efficiency. This applies not only to the powertrain and power electronics, but also to the high-voltage battery and charging technology.
The BMW i7 M70 xDrive is equipped with highly integrated drive units at the front and rear axles, which bring together the electric motor, power electronics and transmission within a single, very compact housing. The two motors work according to the principle of an electrically excited synchronous motor. This type of design makes it possible to completely avoid the use of rare earth metals (required for magnetic components) in the manufacture of the rotor.
The most powerful BMW electric motor
An M-specific configuration of the drive system enables the BMW i7 M70 xDrive’s rear-axle motor, in particular, to achieve unprecedented levels of power density. The drive unit has a six-phase design with a dual inverter. This forms the basis for a very substantial increase in peak output that remains on tap up to high speeds, endowing the BMW i7 M70 xDrive with the power delivery characteristic of M models. The motor’s power density of 2.41 kW/kg represents an increase of 25.5 per cent over the unit that drives the rear axle of the BMW i7 xDrive60 and means that the BMW i7 M70 xDrive is fitted with what is currently the company’s most powerful electric motor.
This new standard-setting figure can be attributed to a BMW Group-patented innovation developed under the umbrella of BMW EfficientDynamics, which uses six excitation windings in the motor’s stator instead of the customary three. The resulting “double excitation” compared with conventional units allows the electric motor to generate an extremely high output, despite its exceptionally light and compact design, and to maintain it continuously into the higher echelons of the speed range. This solution is also far superior to a drive configuration using two motors at the rear axle in terms of both power density and efficiency.
Developing maximum power with the M Sport Boost function and M Launch Control
The motor powering the rear axle generates peak output of 360 kW. Its precisely coordinated interaction with the 190 kW motor at the front axle creates an electric all-wheel-drive set-up generating system torque of 1,015 Nm in Sport mode and as much as 1,100 Nm when M Launch Control or the M Sport Boost function is activated. The drive system in the BMW i7 M70 xDrive therefore offers outstanding pulling power. Capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in an impressive 3.7 seconds, the BMW i7 M70 xDrive is the fastest purely electrically powered BMW model. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). The performance characteristics of the drive system are also characterised by sustained power delivery, which ensures rapid speed increases even in higher speed ranges.
With the M Launch Control function, both drive and traction control are integrated into the engine control unit. This ensures the power generated by the electric motors is metered extremely precisely, allowing the drive system’s M-typical performance characteristics to be instantly converted into stunning acceleration without any loss of traction.
The M Sport Boost function is activated with the shift paddle on the left of the steering wheel and is visualised by Performance-specific graphics in the instrument cluster. At the same time, the standard BMW IconicSounds Electric by Hans Zimmer provides a fitting acoustic accompaniment by switching to a particularly exhilarating, M Performance-specific note.
The soundtrack’s character varies according to the vehicle setting selected, with a clearly perceptible acoustic distinction between the My Mode Personal and Sport. In Sport Mode, the spectrum of sound is particularly dominant and powerful. The drive sound composed specifically for fully electrically powered BMW M models therefore helps to give an even more intense experience of the performance characteristics.
Source: BMW
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