BMW is preparing to introduce its first three-row (six- or seven-seater) electric SUV. With its official debut coming up, the iX7 was spotted testing, offering a sneak peek at the full-size luxury SUV. The test mule was running alongside the current X7 M60, the 523-horsepower V8 flagship that currently tops BMW’s SUV range.

The iX7 is the electric version of BMW’s largest and most luxurious SUV. Although BMW has not yet announced it officially, disguised prototypes were recently spotted testing at the Nürburgring in Germany.

After the iX3 and iX5, the iX7 is the next BMW SUV to debut with Neue Klasse technology and design. But like the iX5, BMW’s three-row electric SUV will retain a more traditional style than the full-on Neue Klasse EVs, such as the iX3, iX4, and the upcoming new iX1. Like the iX5, it will also stick with an updated CLAR platform rather than the dedicated Neue Klasse electric architecture.

More traditional

While it’s still covered, Electrek and others picked up the Reddit image from SHProshots. The grille appears much wider and chunkier than the slim, upright, and updated ‘Kidney Grille’ design on the iX3. It also features split headlights, similar to the current X7, rather than the wider headlights on Neue Klasse models.

The iX7 also drops the conventional pull-style door handles in favor of small handles located on the vehicle’s pillar. We see this on more new cars, mostly SUVs, like the recently launched Volvo EX60. BMW will surely reveal details closer to its debut, expected in mid-2027. It lets this large SUV be fitted with different drivelines, including a hydrogen one, as planned for the iX5.

All-wheel-drive

Like the smaller iX5 60 xDrive, the iX7 is expected to use a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain. The iX5’s AWD setup delivers 578 hp (425 kW) and 805 Nm of torque, which BMW said enables it to go from 0 to 100 kph in 4.6 seconds.

Powered by a 144 kWh battery, BMW said the iX5 will offer at least 645 km of range. It will also use an 800V electrical system for fast charging. BMW expects to start production of the iX7 at its Spartanburg plant in the US in late 2027, alongside the new iX5.

In Europe, demand for such big (and expensive) SUVs isn’t huge, but in the U.S. and China there’s a larger public. And of course, BMW doesn’t want this small but lucrative segment to be dominated by arch-rivals like Audi (upcoming Q9) and Mercedes (GLS and AMG GT SUV) but also Cadillac (Escalade IQ). In China, there will also be local competition, like the BYD Tang that will be launched soon.

Charging at 460 kW

During a media event in Southern California this week, BMW, Ionna, and Alpitronic showcased the iX5 60 xDrive hitting a peak of 464 kW in charging. BMW said that with up to 460 kW peak charging, the iX5 60 xDrive can add up to 275 km of range in 10 minutes.

Talking about charging, Ionna, a fast-charging network in the U.S, backed by eight large automakers like BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Toyota,, is preparing to train dealership staff at a few hundred locations, its CEO, Seth Cutler, told Business Insider.

“I tell people, if at the end of this decade, we haven’t helped move the needle along on EV adoption, then Ionna’s failed,” Cutler said. He said the industry has spent years improving EVs themselves — range, performance, and charging speed — while reliable public charging, especially along highways and in urban environments, has remained a stubborn barrier. “We very much feel that if we can do this right, we can enable EV adoption,” Cutler added.

It all comes as Ionna’s attempts to become a contender in the electric-vehicle charging race that Tesla has dominated. This year, Ionna has more than doubled its charging stations across the U.S., jumping from 90 active stations in January to 191 at the start of October. Cutler expects to cut the ribbon on the 200th location this month.

That’s still tiny compared to Tesla, which has more than 3,000 charging stations across the U.S. Ionna also has to compete with Walmart, which is rapidly building out its EV fast-charging network, with roughly 300 locations under construction outside its stores.

Ionna has focused on pairing its charging stations with amenities. Several charging sites come with window-cleaning squeegees, trash cans, all-day bathrooms, lounges, and, in some cases, convenience stores with Amazon’s Just Walk Out tech. JD Power ranked its stations the best fast-charging in the country during its 2026 test.