2026 BMW i7 facelift in Beijing – updated G70 electric flagship with increased range, revised styling

The BMW i7 facelift was unveiled with the wider G70 7 Series facelift range that made its debut last month, and the battery-electric version of the brand’s flagship sedan has been shown at this year’s Auto China 2026 in Beijing.

The mid-lifecycle update to the i7 brings a revision in powertrain from the base variant, where the 50 xDrive is now a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variant with 455 PS and 660 Nm, succeeding the pre-facelift eDrive50 that was of a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive layout with the same outputs. Further up the i7 range, there is the 60 xDrive with 544 PS and 745 Nm, as well as the M70 xDrive with 680 PS and 1,015 Nm.

In terms of range, the i7 50 xDrive is capable of up to 708 km (up from 611 km in the pre-facelift eDrive50), while the 60 xDrive can do up to 707 km (up from 625 km in the pre-FL xDrive60), and the M70 xDrive is capable of up to 650 km (up from 560 km).

Improvements in range come from an all-new battery that uses Gen6 cylindrical cells from the iX3 and i3. The cylindrical cells are installed into the casing by Rimac in Croatia, before being shipped to Dingolfing where assembly of the i7 is completed. Total battery capacity grows from 101.7 kWh nett to 112.5 kWh nett.

Air suspension continues to be standard on the 7 Series and therefore the i7 facelift, with Adaptive Chassis Control in standard and Professional forms, including rear-wheel steering, optionally available.

Driving assistance systems as standard in the i7 include adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist for Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functionality, AEB, evasive steering assist, blind spot monitoring with collision prevention, front and rear cross traffic alert with auto brake and a door opening warning. Also standard is park assist with space detection using AI technology.

Level 3 autonomous driving is being discontinued due to low demand, according to BMW, and in its place will be highly-automated Level 2 systems which provide hands-off, eyes-on driving on highways and city streets. Production of the G70 BMW 7 Series facelift is set to begin in July.

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