This BMW i7 Prototype Is Alpina's First EV

BMW took full control of Alpina at the start of 2026, and it's got big plans to push the brand down unfamiliar roads. One of those is the world of fully electric cars, and these spy shots show what could be the first-ever EV to wear the Alpina badge.

We've already had an official look at a camouflaged prototype of the upcoming combustion BMW Alpina 7 Series sedan. BMW dropped pictures of that one last week, along with the promise that it would do more than 186 mph (300 kmh), probably courtesy of a tuned version of the 563 horsepower (570 PS), 4.4-liter V8 fitted to the BMW M760 xDrive. And in a similar vein, this electric version looks set to take its lead from the i7 M70 xDrive.

Visually, there's not much to separate this electric Alpina prototype from the combustion one seen earlier. Both have the same razor-thin LED DRLs that are mounted separately from the main headlight units. They also share the same lower bumper shape and grille outline. But this new EV's grille is blanked off, whereas the ICE sedan has a full set of horizontal bars and mesh behind them, allowing air to feed the V8's radiator.

This EV even rides on the exact same wheels as the combustion Alpina 7 Series prototype our spy team snapped last month, but there's one very obvious difference at the back. The gas car has a pair of oval exhaust tailpipes at each corner – an Alpina trademark – and the EV has none.

BMW facelifted the i7 earlier this year, and later added 20 hp (20 PS) to the top trim's dual-motor powertrain. That boosted the i7 M70 xDrive to 670 hp (680 PS), and although the torque figure didn't change, there was already plenty on hand.

Launch control gives M70 drivers 811 lb-ft (1,100 Nm), which is enough for a zero to 62 mph (100 kmh) time of 3.8 seconds. Alpinas have long prioritized effortless pace over raw sports car performance, so that kind of urge, while not record-setting by EV standards, might be enough to keep its customers happy. But at the same time, those Alpina customers have grown to expect that their cars are more than BMWs with an extra helping of leather, so don't rule out a horsepower increase, and a tenth or two sliced off that sixty time.

Additional interior luxury is still a key part of an Alpina's appeal, though, so we can be sure that BMW will be putting plenty of effort into that department. And like every new 7 Series, Alpina's i7 will come with BMW's new Panoramic iDrive digital display and tablet touchscreen. It will also get the same 112.5 kWh battery pack, which now employs BMW's round cell technology. Adopting them lifted the M70's range to 426 miles (686 km), and the Alpina should be in the same ballpark.  

We expect the Alpina i7 to debut next year, and go on sale for MY28 wearing a seriously big sticker. The 2026 M70 already costs over $170,000, and it doesn't take too many option ticks to push that over $190,000. So a $200,000 price for the Alpine seems entirely believable.