BMW’s armored vehicles are going electric, too. The German marque has confirmed that it will build a high-security version of its upcoming all-electric flagship, the i7. It’s unclear at this point what kind of armor the i7 will be outfitted with.
The Drive pointed out that it won’t need protection around its engine bay like a typical bullet-proof car for obvious reasons, but will likely require a heavily armored undercarriage to shield its battery pack from punctures and fires. A careful balance will need to be struck, though, in order to make sure the ride doesn’t grow too heavy.
BMW hasn’t altered the powertrains of past armored vehicles and the standard i7 already weighs 5,900 pounds. That’s quite heavy for any vehicle. Add in the 2,000 pounds of armor featured on the E38- generation 750iL, for instance, the zero-emissions saloon will be in the same neighborhood as the 9,000-pound GMC Hummer EV. The added weight could severely impede the i7’s performance; in particular, its targeted 300-plus mile range. And, as we’ve seen with GMC super truck, the extra pounds may also affect how environmentally friendly the vehicle actually is.
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