Differences Between The 2024 BMW i7 And 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan

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  2024 BMW i7

  Battery powered excellence can be found in the 2024 BMW i7. This ful-size sedan offers class leading technology, style and comfort in addition to some really cool party tricks. The new M model is a nice addition to the already impressive lineup of decently fast full-size electric sedans. Even though it hasn’t been refreshed since it’s debut, it almost doesn’t need it because of how futuristic it looks and feels.

  Pros

  • Spacious interior
  • Standard list of equipment
  • Smooth and quiet ride

  Cons

  • Cargo volume
  • Rearview visibility
  • Interior small storage

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  2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS

  Expert Opinion: The EQS is Mercedes-Benz’s answer for the luxury EV market. With its big price tag comes, according to Mercedes, the latest tech and the finest interior and exterior styling. It’s got a big job to do, having to face down the likes of Tesla and other automakers more well-versed in electric vehicle manufacturing. 

  Pros

  • Impressive range
  • Standard list of tech and features
  • Comfortable interior

  Cons

  • Rear legroom
  • Rear cabin experience

Usually, BMW’s are considered to be driver’s cars, but the BMW i7 pays extreme attention to the rear passengers. And while Mercedes-Benz is a brand most associated with the utmost luxury for rear passengers, like the S-Class, its new EQS sedan is best experienced from the front seats. Both the i7 and the EQS are full-size luxury sedans that pack a lot of technologies and introduce several features that are first of its kind. Electric cars seem perfect for full-size luxury sedans. The long wheelbase can accommodate the large battery, the silence of the motors make for a quiet cabin, and they can offer an immense amount of acceleration and performance when required.

So, with this comprehensive comparison, we attempt to find out if the 2024 BMW i7 is a better luxury sedan than the 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS.

In order to bring you the most up-to-date and accurate comparison possible, we’ve relied on information sourced from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Fueleconomy.gov, NHTSA, IIHS, and hands-on experience. For information regarding our ranking and grading procedures, please refer to our methodology policy.

Performance And Capability

The 2024 BMW i7 is available with a single permanent synchronous motor for rear-wheel-drive, or dual-motor all-wheel drive configuration, mated to a direct drive simple speed gearbox. The i7 has a 105.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, of which 101.7 kWh capacity is usable. The 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS also offers a single motor rear-wheel-drive, or dual-motor all-wheel-drive configurations, with the motors using a single speed direct drive transmission. The lithium-ion battery in the EQS has a 108 kWh capacity.

Base Powertrain Comparison

• 	2024 BMW i7	2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS
  Make	BMW	Mercedes-Benz
  Model	i7	EQS
  Engine/Motor	Single / Dual Permanent Synchronous Motors	Single / Dual Permanent Synchronous Motors
  Horsepower	449-650 HP	329-516 HP
  Torque	549-749 LB-FT	417-631 LB-FT
  Drivetrain	RWD / AWD	RWD / AWD
  Transmission	Single Speed Direct Drive	Single Stage Automatic
  Range	274-321 Miles	345-352 Miles

The three trims of the BMW i7 offer different levels of performance. The base i7 eDrive50 offers 449 hp and 594 lb-ft of torque with a single motor configuration. The dual-motor i7 xDrive60 packs 536 hp and also 549 lb-ft of torque. The i7 M70 is the most powerful at 650 hp and 749 lb-ft of torque.

Like the i7, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS offers differing levels of performance, depending on the model. The base EQS 450+ with the single-motor configuration packs 329 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque. The dual-motor EQS 450 4Matic model packs 335 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. But the most powerful EQS 580 4Matic offers 516 hp and 631 lb-ft of torque. However, Mercedes does offer a high-performance AMG EQS that packs 650 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque.

Full Performance Specifications

When it comes to acceleration, the i7 M70 is the quickest at 3.5 seconds to 60 MPH, over the EQS 580 4Matic at 4.1 seconds. But if you consider the EQS AMG model, it can achieve the same feat in 3.4 seconds. Both the BMW i7 and Mercedes-Benz EQS are limited to a top speed of 155 MPH.

Fuel Economy

Equipped with a 105.7 kWh battery pack, the single-motor model of the BMW i7 is EPA rated for 90 MPGe combined, from 87 MPGe in the city and 95 MPGe on the highway. The EPA estimates the BMW i7 is capable of a maximum range of 321 miles with the 19-inch wheels. The Mercedes-Benz EQS with its single motor and marginally larger 108 kWh battery is rated at 96 MPGe, from 95 MPGe in the city and 98 MPGe on the highway. The EQS sedan has a longer range of up to 352 miles on a single charge.

Gas Mileage Figures Sourced From The EPA

Interior Design And Technology

As one would expect, the interior of the BMW i7 is extremely luxurious. With the optional Executive package, the i7 even offers auto open and closing doors. When it comes to room, the i7’s cabin has abundance of it, even for extremely tall occupants in the front or rear. The near perfect position of the driver’s seat offers a great view out, with minimal blind spots. However, the short rear window doesn’t offer the best rearview, which can also get completely blocked by the large theater screen, but the i7 offers enough cameras and sensors to help drive around tight spaces with ease.

The interior of the Mercedes-Benz EQS is dominated by the massive Hyperscreen that spans the width and height of the dash. The interior is largely devoid of physical buttons, as most things are controlled through the touchscreens. Getting used to the screen takes patience and time. However, the cabin screams luxury as expected. Outward visibility from the EQS is quite impressive, and the surround view camera helps drive through tight spaces and parking. However, the EQS does not offer best in class space in the rear, but rear legroom is acceptable. The sloping roof design also chews into rear headroom as well, which can lead to heads scraping on the roof for tall passengers.

Both the BMW i7 and Mercedes-Benz EQS are large luxury sedans. While the BMW i7 focuses on utmost comfort for rear passengers, it seems that the Mercedes-Benz EQS pays more focus to the front passengers instead.

BMW i7 vs. Mercedes-Benz EQS Technology Comparison

The front dash on the i7 is more traditional as it features one seamless panel on the dash which displays the 12.3-inch driver’s gauge cluster, and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the rear seats of the i7 add two more touch panels on the door cards to control various functions, and also bring down the massive 31-inch 8K resolution panoramic theater screen which runs on Amazon Fire, allowing users to stream online content on demand.

With the EQS sedan, Mercedes-Benz debuted what they call the ‘Hyperscreen’, which features one large 56-inch seamless screen panel which spreads across the width of the dash, and houses three different screens. In the center is the 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that runs wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and features 3D augmented reality technology. The hyperscreen also has a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster for the driver and a 12.3-inch touchscreen in front of the front passenger.

Interior Room And Cargo Capacity

The BMW i7 does not boast the largest trunk space among its peers. The i7’s trunk offers up to 17.6 cu-ft of storage, and the rear seats cannot be folded to expand the cargo volume, but it does have a ski-hatch to squeeze in longer items… like skies. The Mercedes-Benz EQS, however, has a standard trunk capacity of 22 cu-ft, and the rear seats can fold down to create a maximum capacity of 63 cu-ft.

Cargo Space Comparison

Safety And Reliability

The IIHS and the NHTSA have not crash tested the BMW i7 nor the Mercedes-Benz EQS. But safety features and drivers aids like forward collision warning and automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning, automated parking system, evasive steering assistance and more are available on both the i7 and EQS. However, the Mercedes-Benz EQS is the first vehicle that is U.S. certified for Level 3 autonomous driving.

BMW i7 Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

• Recalls (NHTSA): # 2
• NHTSA Investigations: # 0
• NHTSA Consumer Complaints: # 3
• Awards: NA

Mercedes-Benz EQS Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

• Recalls (NHTSA): # 1
• NHTSA Investigations: # 0
• NHTSA Consumer Complaints: 0
• Awards: NA

Reliability Comparison

According to the NHTSA, the BMW i7 has been recalled twice, and three recorded consumer complaints. The Mercedes-Benz EQS has been recalled once. When it comes to warranties, both BMW and Mercedes are fairly comparable. BMW offers a 4 year / 50,000 mile basic warranty which also covers the drivetrain. The manufacturer also offers 12-year corrosion protection and 4 years of roadside assistance. Mercedes-Benz also offers a 4 year / 50,000 mile basic warranty that also covers the drivetrain, corrosion protection and roadside assistance. For their electric vehicles, both BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer an 8 year / 100,000-mile warranty for the battery pack.

Warranty

Pricing And Availability

The pure-electric i7 is available in three trims. In 2024, the base BMW i7 eDrive50 with 449 hp starts at $114,300. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive i7 xDrive60 costs $130,450. The high-performance i7 M70 with 650 hp is priced at $175,150.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan is also available in three trims; 450+, 450 4Matic, and 580 4Matic. The base EQS 450+ costs less than the i7 as it starts from $104,400. Even the dual-motor all-wheel-drive EQS 450 4Matic is more affordable at $107,400. The EQS 580 4Matic is the highest trim level and costs $125,950.

Trim Pricing Comparison