The line-up comprises two fully-electric models — the i4 xDrive40 and i7 eDrive50 — and the plug-in hybrid 750e xDrive. The i4 xDrive40 features all-wheel drive and an engine packing 396 horsepower (291kW) and 443 lb-ft (602Nm) torque. That makes it capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in about 5.1 seconds. Two other variants of the i4 are already available in South Africa. The incoming i4 xDrive40 will be positioned below the top-end option — the i4 M50 — which currently carries a starting price tag of R1.65 million in South Africa.

The M50 variant boasts a much more powerful engine — with 400kW of power and 795Nm torque — that puts its 0–100km/h figure at 3.9 seconds. In the US, the i4 xDrive40 will start at $61,600 (R1.19 million), more affordable than the entry-level i4 eDrive35 M Sport in South Africa. The new i7 model launching in the US — the eDrive50 — is a less powerful and more affordable offering in BMW’s electric luxury range. It comes with a single-motor rear-wheel drive system instead of the dual-motor all-wheel drive available on the xDrive60 models, of which two variants are sold in South Africa. It comes with a 449 horsepower (335kw) engine instead of the 536 horsepower (400kW) of the xDrive60.

US customers will pay $105,700 (R2 million) for the base eDrive50. That compares with the $120,000 (R2.3 million) of the xDrive60 model in the US, which starts at around R2.83 million in South Africa. The final new electrified model is the 750e xDrive plug-in hybrid, which pairs a 308-horsepower 3.0-litre turbo engine with a 194-horsepower transmission-mounted electric motor. The combination gives it a maximum output of 483 (360kW) horsepower and 516 lb-ft (702Nm) of torque. The latest 7-series in South Africa is only offered with a petrol or diesel engine. At the time of publication, BMW had not announced its plans regarding introducing these three new electrified models to South Africa.