BMW i7 Prototypes, complete final testing of their drive and suspension systems at the BMW Group winter-test centre in Arjeplog, Sweden.
During the forthcoming year, BMW will premier its first all-electric luxury sedan, the BMW i7. Within the framework of its series development process, the BMW i7 is currently undergoing driving dynamics testing on the premises of the BMW Group winter test centre in Arjeplog, Sweden. There, just a few kilometres away from the Arctic Circle, BMW test engineers find the frozen surfaces and snow-covered roads offering the ideal preconditions for the integrated application of all drive and suspension systems. Moreover, with the test programme held in the biting cold, they pave the way to a new interpretation of luxury driving pleasure. As a result, for the first time, it will be possible to experience a maximum in characteristic BMW dynamics, comfort and supremacy in the luxury class with absolutely zero local emissions.
The suspension components, steering and braking systems, and driving dynamics and vehicle stability systems developed for the future generation of the BMW 7 Series are designed to raise the balance between sportiness and ride comfort so typical of the brand’s luxury sedans the next level. This also includes performance-oriented tuning of the wheel suspension, springs, dampers and various regulating systems to match the various different drive types. Furthermore, they all undergo intensive testing in Arjeplog under extreme climate conditions.
In Lapland’s winter landscape, the test engineers find the perfect preconditions for this. During test drives around the snow-covered roads around Arjeplog, they can test and optimise all functions under highly challenging conditions to achieve a harmonious and BMW-typical driving experience. Moreover, they use test surfaces on frozen lakes with low road friction coefficients to achieve particularly fine-tuning of suspension control systems. The steering application undergoes meticulous tuning as do the numerous functions of the Dynamic Stability Control system (DSC) and the accurately regulated interaction between friction brake and deceleration using energy recuperation.
The winter programme also focuses on the components of the all-electric drive system. The BMW i7’s electric drive, high-voltage battery, power electronics, and charging technology originate from the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology, which already provides sustainable driving pleasure in the BMW iX. Above all, the motor, the battery, and the temperature control system of the BMW i7 prove their high level of maturity in extreme sub-zero temperatures in the north of Sweden.
With the BMW i7, the brand’s current model offensive in the luxury segment is being continued in a particularly progressive way. For the first time, it is possible to experience a luxury sedan that is characterised by elegance, ride comfort and supremacy without restriction and in conjunction with a purely electric drive system. The BMW i7 is based on the same vehicle concept as all further model variants of the BMW 7 Series.
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