BMW has detailed the sustainability measures built into the new BMW i7, with sixth-generation battery cells cutting supply chain CO2e emissions by roughly 33 percent versus the outgoing Gen5 cells. The automaker is also expanding secondary aluminum use in wheel rims and drawing exclusively on renewable electricity at its Dingolfing production site. The updates arrive ahead of the new 7 Series world premiere on April 22 at Auto China 2026 in Beijing.
Highlights
- Gen6 battery cell in the BMW i7 60 xDrive delivers approximately 33 percent lower supply chain CO2e versus Gen5
- Cell production uses 100 percent renewable energy and partial secondary lithium, cobalt, and nickel
- Selected wheel designs will offer 70 percent secondary aluminum content from 2026
- Dingolfing plant runs on 100 percent renewable external electricity, backed by an 11 MWp rooftop solar array
Gen6 Battery Cell Cuts Supply Chain Emissions
The Gen6 cell is the central lever in the i7’s updated carbon profile. BMW manufactures the cells exclusively with energy from renewable sources, and applies the same standard to anode and cathode active material production. Cell production also incorporates secondary raw materials for the lithium, cobalt, and nickel inputs.
The combined effect, according to BMW, is a supply chain CO2e reduction of around 33 percent per Wh for the Gen6 cell in the i7 60 xDrive compared with the Gen5 cell used in the current i7. The sustainability gains sit alongside earlier-announced performance upgrades: the Gen6 high-voltage battery, developed in cooperation with Rimac Technology, pairs new 4695 cylindrical cells with the established Gen5 module architecture to deliver higher energy density, longer range, and faster charging.
70 Percent Secondary Aluminum in Selected Wheels
Beyond the battery, BMW is increasing recycled content in the i7’s wheel program. From 2026, selected rim designs will be available with 70 percent secondary aluminum. The remaining primary aluminum portion is electrolyzed in part with renewable energy, and rim production itself draws partly on renewable power.
BMW emphasized that components with elevated secondary content meet the same quality standards as parts made from primary material, framing the shift as a resource-efficiency measure rather than a trade-off.
EfficientDynamics Targets Use-Phase Energy
For the in-use portion of the vehicle’s life cycle, the i7 carries BMW’s EfficientDynamics package, which the automaker describes as a cross-subsystem approach to aerodynamics, lightweight construction, rolling resistance, and overall energy management. EfficientDynamics has been deployed across BMW’s drive technologies since 2007.
Dingolfing Production Runs on Renewable Power
All variants of the new 7 Series sedan, including the i7, are produced at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in Lower Bavaria. The facility sources 100 percent of its external electricity from renewable providers and generates a portion on site.
In late 2025, BMW commissioned a rooftop photovoltaic installation covering roughly 100,000 square meters with an output of nearly 11 MWp. A biomass heating plant, also commissioned late last year, supplies a share of the site’s locally produced heat from renewable sources.
Aligned With BMW Group Net-Zero Roadmap
BMW frames the i7 updates as part of its broader commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and a net-zero target no later than 2050. The company’s science-based interim goal calls for reducing CO2e emissions by at least 40 million tonnes from 2019 levels by 2030.
Product-level transparency is handled through the BMW Vehicle Footprint, a Product Carbon Footprint disclosure validated by TÜV Germany. The document covers all drivetrains of the new 7 Series from start of production and is accessible through the My BMW app.
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