Plug-in Hybrid BMW 740e Revealed Be

Plug-in Hybrid BMW 740e Revealed Before Geneva

The covers have been lifted on the BMW 740e range prior to the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.

The roll-out of the new hybrid 7-Series variants comes alongside the announcement of the iPerformance brand which will be used on all plug-in hybrid models produced by the German automaker. With that in mind, the 740e line-up consists of the 'regular' 740e iPerformance, the 740Le iPerformance and the all-wheel drive740Le xDrive iPerformance.

These three plug-in hybrid derivatives of the 7-Series utilise a twin-turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an electric motor. All up, this combination results in a total of 326 hp while offering an all-electric range of 40 km (25 miles) for the 740e and 740Le iPerformance and 37 km (23 miles) for the al-wheel drive model.

The internal combustion engine itself provides 258 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque between 1,250 rpm and 4,800 rpm, allowing the hybrid 7-Series models to accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.5 to 5.7 seconds (depending on spec).

Of more importance however is the fact that the vehicles sip just 2.1-2.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (134.5 mpg) over the combined cycle while emitting 49 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometer.

One key feature of the 740e range is the implementation of a special eDrive button on the center console which allows drivers to configure how the plug-in hybrid drive system operates. Usually, the electric motor works in conjunction with the petrol engine but once switched into Max eDrive mode, the petrol engine shuts off allowing fully electric drive. When the accelerator is pressed hard, the turbo'd motor kicks back into life.

Another new element found in the plug-in 7-Series range is the Driving Experience Control switch. As the name implies, it offers different driving modes consisting of Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and the configurable Adaptive mode.

Charging the 9.2 kWh battery will take less than four hours from a domestic power socket and under three hours when charged through a BMW i Wallbox.

As you'd expect, the models also include all the same standard features as other 7-Series versions, including the ConnectedDrive navigation package, smartphone integration with wireless charging, a large touchscreen and advanced gesture control functionality.

BMW recently started making what it calls M Performance models, which are standard BMW models with some M Division DNA injected into them. Cars like the BMW M235i, X4 M40i and M760Li are all M Performance models. It’s an idea that’s worked well so far for BMW, so much so that BMW is looking to create another line of performance models, called iPerformance.

In a nutshell, BMW’s Performance models are going to be plug-in hybrid variants of standard BMW vehicles with some i Division technology baked in. For instance, the upcoming BMW 740e iPerformance will be a plug-in hybrid variant of the new 7 Series and the 330e will become a 330e iPerformance. So, it’s very similar to the M Performance models, just with hybrid tech, not performance tech. This line of vehicles will start in July, 2016 with the upcoming 740e iPerformance.