Is this the next BMW for the Beehive’s VIP fleet?

DO plutocrats penny-pinch?

Price advantage seems to be played by BMW as one of the attractions of its long-awaited fully electric spin off the 7-Series.

Announcement of the i7 coming in XDrive 60 sedan, with the first shipment set to land in the last quarter of this year, also includes an advisory that this derivative will require a $276,900 spend.

Does that seem a bit too telephone numberish? For ordinary folk, of course, and maybe even also for the Beehive crowd who might well be considering this as the replacement for the diesel 7-Series limos that presently run in the Crown VIP fleet and are due for renewal.

Still, it’s worth bearing in mind that the only relevant rival, Mercedes’ AMG EQS 53, is $14k dearer.

Like the Merc, the BMW model is also dual motor and has DC fast charging but the power outputs behind Munich roundel are less extreme: 400kW and 745Nm versus 310kW and 900Nm from the Stuttgart provision, which also avails in Dynamic Pack form from which those outputs rise to 560kW and 1020Nm.

While the BMW is slower to 100kmh – that’s said to take 4.7 seconds (so, 0.7s faster than its petrol counterpart) against the Benz’s 3.8-3.4 seconds – it ekes a lot more range. The 106kWh battery pack allowd for up to 625 kilometres of driving range. That’s around 100km further than the EQS.

BMW NZ is citing its first fully electric limo will combine driving pleasure, unsurpassed long-distance comfort and an outstanding digital experience while showcasing new styling that underlines its commanding road presence.

The market is only taking the long wheelbase edition. As with the fossil fuel reliant Seven, which remains in circulation, there’s also a standard wheelbase car. The new platform extendd by 5mm while overall length, width and height have grown by 131mm, 48mm and 65mm respectively.

Just like the iX sports utility vehicle and many of BMW's recent model updates, the 7 Series now features the BMW Curved Display which integrates a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and a 14.9-inch central touchscreen, running the brand's latest iDrive 8 infotainment software.

It has stacks of luxuries, all the surfaces being covered in quality wool and leather trims, and there are fancy headlights, self-opening and closing doors and, from next year, rear seat occupants will be able to view stuff on a fold down big screen.

The 7 Series has always been used by BMW as the debut vehicle for new safety technology, so its occupants are comprehensively protected. Along with a vast array of airbags and active headrests to reduce injury in the case of a crash, it uses a suite of cameras and sensors to monitor the road, in a bid to prevent a crash in the first place.

Government has eye for out for a good electric flagship; that’s one of th few roles not yet taken under its EV-first programme. As thing stand, it has 20 Crown-plated previous generation Sevens and five plush vans that all drink fossil fuels. This even though as of last year 60 percent of 73 vehicles in the ministerial Crown fleet were classed as EVs - up from 29 percent in 2019.