German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, has made the shift to electric mobility, opting for the BMW i7 to underscore his commitment to sustainability. While the details about the particular electric vehicle are not yet available, it seems to be the BMW i7 eDrive50, which was recently launched, finished in Oxide Grey Metallic paint shade.

Embracing local traditions, he celebrated the car’s arrival by performing Indian customs, including smashing a coconut and adorning the vehicle with a 'nimbu-mirchi' (lemon and chili) charm for protection. Commenting on his decision, Ackermann stated that during winter, pollution becomes quite severe, and it was felt that a contribution should be made to reduce it. The desire to switch to an EV was expressed, and after some time, approval was given by headquarters for a new e-car, which helps reduce pollution. 

BMW i7: Specs and features

The BMW i7 was launched in India back in January 2023. Based on the company’s CLAR platform, the BMW i7 features new kidney grille and split LED headlamps, new alloy wheels, and wraparound LED taillights. The model comes with a flat bonnet and sharp shoulder-line, both of which help accentuate the model’s appearance and stately feel. The model rides on 20-inch alloys as standard with the option to upgrade to 21-inch wheels. Further, the i7 also gets blue accents to showcase its electric nature.

Inside, the BMW i7 gets the Live Cockpit Plus with the dual screen set-up. This includes the 12.3-inch digital instrument console and a 14.9-inch infotainment unit that are a part of a single continuous piece of glass and get a curved display. The new system runs the latest iDrive 8 user interface. The model also comes with an interaction bar with touch-capacitive control for ventilation and climate control functions on the dashboard.

Additional standout feature of the BMW i7 is the optional 31.3-inch 8K theatre screen with Amazon Fire TV built-in, which flips down from the roof between the front and rear seats. There’s also the 5.5-inch touchscreen control panels integrated into the rear doors for the lounge experience. Other upgrades include leather upholstery, more sustainable materials, 18-speaker 4D audio system, executive lounge seats with up to 42.5 degrees of reclining, massage and seat ventilation, automatic doors, panoramic glass roof, cloud-based navigation, and more.

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Earlier in the month, the new BMW i7 eDrive50 variant was launched replacing the the xDrive60 trim that was previously available in India. Priced at ₹2.03 crore, the new i7 eDrive50 sports a different powertrain while also getting a more reasonable price tag, making it more affordable by ₹10 lakh than the i7 xDrive60.

The electric luxury saloon gets a single motor on the rear wheels instead of the dual-motor setup on the xDrive60 with one on each wheel. This brings a rear-wheel drive configuration to the luxury sedan instead of an all-wheel drive, which is why the nomenclature changes from ‘x’ to ‘e’. The single electric motor produces 443 bhp and 650 Nm, as opposed to 536 bhp and 745 Nm with the dual motors.

The new BMW i7 eDrive50 uses the 101.7 kWh battery but the range has dropped to 603 km (WLTP) as opposed to 625 km on the xDrive60. For those looking at more power on the i7, BMW is still offering the M70 spec variant with 641 bhp and 1015 Nm of peak torque and is priced at ₹2.50 crore (ex-showroom).

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