BMW's Biggest SUV Spied For The First Time As An EV

For starters, it looks like it'll be based on the next-generation X7 chassis, meaning it'll ride on the advanced Neue Klasse modular platform that debuted under the skin of the 2026 iX3, sophisticated technology and all.

Details Are Slim, But The SUV Isn't
We don't know much about the iX7, but we can make a few guesses based on what we see in the photos and BMW's other all-electric efforts. For starters, the test vehicle wears the bodyshell of a next-generation X7. Its large and in charge proportions mean the iX7 will likely be a very comfortable, spacious SUV with seating for six or seven, putting it in the hunt with the Volvo EX90, Lucid Gravity, and Rivian R1S for EV consumer dollars. That said, although the X7 is BMW's largest vehicle ever, it's still nowhere near as massive as the Cadillac Escalade iQ, meaning we shouldn't expect four-ton curb weights from the electric iX7.

One thing the iX7 won't skimp out on is technology. Plainly visible at the base of the windshield is BMW's new iDrive X infotainment system. The tenth iteration of the company's software will arrive in the electric SUV with a panoramic pillar-to-pillar display in the driver's line of sight, keeping vital information available at a quick glance. Although we can't see the rest of the dashboard, we expect the iX3's parallelogram-shaped, 17.9-inch touchscreen to make an appearance on the center stack. We've tinkered around with iDrive X and we think it'll be pretty easy to learn and use once it hits the road.

Simpler Electronics, Greater Efficiency
The Neue Klasse platform should make the iX7 more efficient than it might otherwise be, thanks to faster-reacting and simpler vehicle processing units that comprise BMW's "Heart of Joy" software setup. The unconventionally named system reduces the number of vehicle ECUs from more than 20 to just four, and since they're connected to each other wirelessly, the Neue Klasse offers significant weight savings over BMW's previous EV systems. The modular architecture, which can accommodate both internal combustion and fully electric powertrains, is also lighter and stiffer than the CLAR platform it replaces, promising good things for both vehicle dynamics and efficiency.

That said, we don't know much about the iX7 specifically. Given its appearance in the metal, we can presume that it'll debut in pre-production form sometime in the next year, possibly going on sale as a 2027 model. Thanks to BMW's sixth-generation battery technology, plan on a maximum of 400 miles of range – matching the iX3 – while performance variants might receive up to 800 horsepower or more. The Neue Klasse EVs boast an 800-volt electrical system, so we think the iX7 should also recharge at a staggering 400 kilowatts at an appropriate DC fast charger.