When considering a significant investment in a luxury electric vehicle, such as the 2023 BMW i7 or the 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring, the decision-making process can be complex. With both vehicles often approaching or exceeding the $150,000 mark, potential owners are looking for an experience that justifies the premium price. As highlighted in the accompanying video, the BMW i7 achieved an Edmunds rating of 8.4, placing it ahead of its direct competitor in this comparison, the Lucid Air Grand Touring, which received a 7.8 rating. This disparity in scores often points to nuanced differences in luxury, performance, and overall ownership experience.
The journey to electrification for luxury sedans has led to diverse approaches. While some manufacturers, like Mercedes-Benz with its EQS, develop dedicated EV platforms, BMW chose to integrate its electric powertrain into the existing 7 Series architecture for the i7. This decision results in a vehicle that, underneath, shares much with its gasoline-powered counterparts, yet it delivers a remarkably refined experience, often considered the best iteration of the 7 Series to date. Conversely, the Lucid Air was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, allowing for innovative packaging and performance advantages.
Performance Prowess: Speed and Stopping Power
For many luxury EV buyers, exhilarating performance is a non-negotiable. The Lucid Air Grand Touring truly lives up to its claim of “supercar speed,” demonstrating a breathtaking 0 to 60 miles per hour acceleration in just 3.2 seconds. This capability is especially impressive considering the vehicle’s non-sticky all-season tires, suggesting even greater potential with performance rubber.
The BMW i7, while not quite as quick as the Lucid, is by no means a slouch. Its 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds provides more than enough power for daily driving situations and confident highway merges. This difference of 1.2 seconds might seem substantial on a spec sheet, yet for most drivers in real-world conditions, both vehicles offer ample acceleration. However, performance extends beyond mere speed; braking ability is crucial. The Lucid Air requires approximately 132 feet to come to a stop from 60 mph. In contrast, the BMW i7 achieves a full stop in nearly 30 feet less, despite its slightly heavier curb weight, underscoring its superior braking capabilities.
Ride Quality and Driving Experience: Smoothness is Key
When investing in a luxury sedan, ride quality is often paramount. The BMW i7 sets a high bar in this regard, offering one of the smoothest and most composed rides in the segment. This exceptional comfort is attributed to a sophisticated auto-leveling air suspension system, which is further enhanced by a forward-facing camera that reads the road ahead. This innovative system communicates with the navigation to anticipate turns and road imperfections, allowing the suspension to proactively prepare for optimal comfort. Combined with the low center of gravity afforded by the under-floor battery, the i7 delivers a whisper-quiet interior and power delivery that is both seamless and potent.
The Lucid Air also provides a very comfortable ride, but it is generally perceived as being a step below the i7 in terms of overall composure and quietness. While the Lucid is capable and handles well, the level of refinement and isolation from road imperfections found in the BMW is difficult to match. For those prioritizing a serene and plush experience for any commute or long journey, the i7 often becomes the preferred choice.
Exterior Design: A Tale of Two Philosophies
Automotive design often evokes strong opinions, and these two luxury EVs are no exception. The Lucid Air showcases a distinctly futuristic and sleek aesthetic. Its clean lines and the signature Cylon-like light bar across the front give it a unique, forward-thinking presence on the road. This design language is often lauded for its originality and its clear departure from traditional automotive forms.
In contrast, the BMW i7 continues the brand’s bold design direction, featuring an enlarged, illuminated kidney grille treatment that lights up upon approach. This design choice, along with specific wheel options and chrome accents, can be polarizing, with some finding it a statement of grandeur and others perceiving it as trying too hard. Ultimately, exterior aesthetics are subjective; however, the Lucid’s design is often seen as more cohesive and modern by those seeking a fresh take on luxury car styling.
Interior Opulence: Craftsmanship and Cabin Technology
Stepping inside the BMW i7 immediately reveals a cabin designed for maximum opulence. Premium materials are utilized throughout, with elements like smoke white Merino leather seats accented by cashmere inserts, creating an environment of unparalleled luxury. Every detail, from the crystal pattern reflecting light on the dashboard to the meticulous stitching, feels intentionally placed and contributes to a cohesive, high-end experience. The interior of the i7 is packed with features, including a panoramic glass roof with ambient lighting, and rear seats that recline, offer massage functions, and boast a truly cinematic 31-inch 8K theatre screen that deploys from the ceiling, complete with individual touchscreens for climate and seat controls on the door panels.
The Lucid Air’s interior, while undoubtedly nice, struggles to meet the same benchmark of lavishness as the BMW. It features a more minimalist, screen-centric approach. While materials are of good quality, they often do not convey the same level of bespoke craftsmanship or premium feel expected in a six-figure vehicle. The cabin provides comfortable seating and a pleasant atmosphere, but it does not quite reach the “flagship” standard set by traditional luxury automakers like BMW. For instance, while both vehicles offer heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats, and wireless charging pads, the overall ambiance and tangible sense of luxury in the i7 are distinctly superior, especially in the rear passenger compartment where the i7’s features truly make it stand out.
Infotainment and Connectivity: Screens, Systems, and Voice Control
The technological heart of these vehicles resides in their infotainment systems. The BMW i7 features iDrive 8, presented across two side-by-side screens, with a 14.9-inch touchscreen for infotainment functions and a digital gauge cluster behind the steering wheel. This system offers a blend of touchscreen controls and physical buttons, along with a robust center console controller. While iDrive 8 is highly capable and responsive, its extensive menu structure with numerous icons can be overwhelming. What significantly enhances its usability is the exceptional voice command system, which is powerful enough to handle complex requests beyond basic navigation or calling, proving invaluable for accessing many vehicle functions, including climate controls or adjusting adaptive cruise control settings. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, offering seamless smartphone integration.
The Lucid Air adopts an even more screen-heavy approach, featuring a curved display that stretches across the driver’s view and a lower tablet-style touchscreen that controls most vehicle functions and can fold up to reveal storage. Early iterations of Lucid’s multimedia system experienced significant bugs and lag, as noted during long-term ownership. However, through a series of over-the-air (OTA) updates, the system has seen considerable improvements in speed and reliability, and new features like Highway Drive Assist and streaming radio have been added, along with wireless Apple CarPlay. Notably, Android Auto is still not offered, which could be a deciding factor for some users. While the Lucid’s gauge cluster looks appealing, it lacks the extensive customization options found in the BMW’s digital display.
Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS): Hands-Free and Highway Assist
Modern luxury vehicles are expected to offer advanced driver-assistance systems that enhance both safety and convenience. The BMW i7 provides a significant advantage with its Assist Plus system, which enables hands-free driving on compatible highways at speeds up to 85 mph. This system utilizes a camera to monitor the driver’s eyes, ensuring engagement while allowing the driver to remove their hands from the steering wheel. This feature represents a high level of autonomy for highway cruising.
The Lucid Air, through its OTA updates, has gained features like Highway Assist, which combines adaptive cruise control with lane centering. While effective, it requires the driver to maintain hands on the wheel, placing it a step behind the i7’s full hands-free capability. For drivers who spend considerable time on highways, the BMW’s more advanced ADAS suite presents a clear benefit.
Practicality and Cargo Space: Frunks and Trunks
Despite their luxurious aspirations, these vehicles also need to deliver on practicality. The BMW i7 offers a respectable 17.7 cubic feet of trunk space. However, its design results in a somewhat narrow opening, and there is no “frunk” or front trunk; lifting the hood reveals no usable storage area. This design choice is a direct consequence of being built on a platform also designed for internal combustion engines.
The Lucid Air, benefiting from its dedicated EV platform, presents a significant advantage in cargo capacity. It features a true frunk, providing additional secure storage space under the hood. Combined with a wide trunk opening and generous rear cargo area, the Lucid boasts a total cargo volume of 26.1 cubic feet. For owners who frequently transport luggage or larger items, the Lucid’s superior cargo flexibility is a considerable benefit.
Electric Range and Charging: Going the Distance
For many potential EV buyers, range and charging capabilities are critical considerations. The Lucid Air Grand Touring, marketed with claims of “relentless range,” has performed impressively in real-world tests, achieving 425 and 438 miles respectively in Edmunds’ independent EV range tests. These figures place it among the top performers on the leaderboard, just behind another Lucid Air variant. While its real-world performance is strong, it still falls short of Lucid’s initial estimated range of 516 miles, and consistent discrepancies between in-car range estimates and actual achieved range have been noted by owners.
The BMW i7, while not matching the Lucid’s extreme range, still offers a very respectable 320 miles in Edmunds’ testing. This range is more than sufficient for most daily commutes and even longer road trips, especially with the growing availability of charging infrastructure. In terms of charging speed, the Lucid Air holds a theoretical advantage, capable of accepting up to 300 kilowatts, compared to the i7’s maximum of 195 kilowatts. However, with most public DC fast chargers currently topping out at 150 kW, the Lucid’s higher potential charging speed is not always fully utilized in real-world scenarios. The practicality of charging speed often depends more on the charging infrastructure available than the vehicle’s maximum capability.
The Verdict and Value Proposition: Edmunds’ Insights
In the final analysis, as the accompanying video points out, the BMW i7 emerges as the more refined and complete luxury package, earning an Edmunds rating of 8.4. Its strengths lie in its superior ride quality, opulent interior, advanced driver-assistance systems, and overall sense of polish. While the Lucid Air Grand Touring excels in raw performance and cargo space, and offers impressive real-world range, its long-term ownership experience has been marred by initial software bugs and an interior that, while nice, does not quite deliver the “six-figure” luxury expected at its price point, leading to an Edmunds rating of 7.8.
It is important to note that when the Lucid Air Grand Touring first entered the market, it was often the only variant readily available at a premium price. Since then, Lucid has introduced more affordable versions of the Air with varied power and range specifications. These newer, lower-priced Lucid Air models, starting under $100,000, may offer a different value proposition and could compete against a different set of luxury electric cars, making some of its earlier “sins” more forgivable. However, when considering the original $150,000 price point and direct comparison between the BMW i7 and Lucid Air Grand Touring, the BMW often delivers a more consistently luxurious and sophisticated experience that many discerning buyers will appreciate.
The Electric Luxury Showdown: Your Q&A on the i7 and Air GT
What two luxury electric cars are being compared in this article?
This article compares two high-end electric luxury vehicles: the 2023 BMW i7 and the 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring.
What is a key difference in how these electric cars were built?
The BMW i7 is built on a platform shared with its gasoline-powered versions, while the Lucid Air was designed from the ground up specifically as an electric vehicle.
Which car has a longer electric driving range?
The Lucid Air Grand Touring offers a longer electric driving range, achieving over 425 miles in real-world tests, compared to the BMW i7’s 320 miles.
Which car has more storage space?
The Lucid Air has more total cargo space, including a useful front trunk (frunk), which the BMW i7 does not have.
Which car did Edmunds rate higher in this comparison?
The BMW i7 received a higher Edmunds rating of 8.4, mainly praised for its superior ride comfort, luxurious interior, and advanced driver-assistance systems.