In fact, today was a double debut, with the new top-of-the-range BMW manufactured not only with highly efficient combustion engines but also as the fully electric i7.
Milan Nedeljkovic, BMW AG Board Member for Production: “Our new BMW 7 Series is the first luxury sedan in the world to offer customers a choice between three types of drive. Whether fully electric, combustion-powered or, soon, plug-in hybrid, we have the flexible production structures and outstanding integration skills we need to manufacture such a diverse range of drives efficiently.”
BMW has invested over €300 million (RM1.4bil) to ready the Dingolfing vehicle plant for production of the new BMW 7 Series. The plant is located about 100km north-east of here.
The new 7 Series will be available to customers worldwide in the autumn of this year.
The i7, especially, marks the next step in the BMW Group’s electromobility campaign for the luxury segment, which Dingolfing has come to symbolise.
The e-drive components of the i7 – specifically the high-voltage battery and highly integrated electric drive – are also made in Dingolfing.
Like those of the iX, i4 and iX3, they are made nearby, in the BMW Group Competence Centre for e-Drive Production.
The new 7 Series is assembled on the same line as the 5 Series, 8 Series and the fully electric iX.
“We are 100 percent flexible and able to switch between drive variants for the BMW 7 Series,” explained Christoph Schröder, Plant Director.
“This means we can manufacture completely in line with demand for the various drives and use our plant capacity as fully as possible.”
