BMW Design Boss Explains Why The i7 EV And seven Collection Glance Alike

BMW’s resolution to offer the i7 electrical luxurious sedan very an identical styling to the 7 Collection contrasts with the best way rival corporations like Mercedes-Benz or Audi are coming near their electrical cars.

Whilst that is not anything new for BMW—the iX3 SUV in line with the X3 and the i4 fastback sedan in line with the 4 Collection Gran Coupe are an identical examples—it’s now not a unitary manner right through the lineup. For instance, the BMW iX flagship electrical SUV seems like not anything else the logo makes this present day. 

So why did BMW now not make the i7 a standalone fashion too, identical to arch-rival Mercedes-Benz has performed with the EQS, which now not simplest appears to be like totally other to the S-Elegance but additionally makes use of a devoted EV platform? Reducing prices and the restrictions of the i7’s multi-energy platform are the primary issues that spring to mind, however it seems that there’s extra to it.

BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk defined the verdict to Autoblog at the sidelines of the Villa d’Este Concours d’Class in Italy.

“That used to be a planned selection. We really feel that electrical mobility goes to occur however no person is aware of how briefly. So, we felt that if we had been to mix luxurious and electrical in a single car, that might be advisable as a result of, another way, within the close to long term we would possibly power our shoppers to make an uncomfortable selection. 

‘Am I fashionable, do I need to pass electrical, or do I need a sure convenience and area?’ So, that’s virtually an unfair resolution that we don’t need our shoppers to make.”

The latter phase sounds a little complicated to us as van Hooydonk turns out to indicate {that a} fashionable standalone electrical sedan can’t be offering an identical ranges of convenience and area as an ICE-powered an identical. Except we’re studying it improper, that’s now not reasonably correct as fashionable EVs constructed on devoted platforms are normally extra spacious than their ICE opposite numbers and simply as relaxed—the Lucid Air exemplifies that every one too smartly.

Adrian van Hooydonk didn’t say whether or not long term electrical cars from BMW will undertake the similar technique, even though we will be able to bring to mind two an identical examples to the i7: the i3 eDrive35L just lately unveiled in China, which appears to be like virtually just like the three Collection, and the impending i5. Judging from the secret agent pictures we’ve noticed up to now, the 2024 BMW i5 would be the spitting symbol of the next-generation 5 Collection.

This can be a non permanent technique for BMW, although. With the release of the corporate’s Neue Klasse of devoted EVs in 2025, the Bavarians will possibly glance to distinguish their electrical cars from ICE/hybrid fashions from a design perspective.