If the Mercedes-Benz S550e Plug-In Hybrid isn’t your type of full-size sedan, now you have an alternative. If you’re on the lookout for a similarly-sized luxury barge with plug-in hybrid prowess, you should also consider the 2017 BMW 740e xDrive iPerformance.
Currently on sale in the United States of America from $90,095 ($89,100 plus $995 destination and handling), the 740e is just about six grand less expensive than its main rival, the one with the three-pointed star up front. For the said money, customers get a serious amount of kind, swathes of luxury, and a highly efficient powertrain which can be plugged in whenever needed.
What hides under the skin? First and foremost, there’s a BMW TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. Then there’s the obligatory electric motor and charging port. Simple, right? Combined, the powertrain delivers 322 horsepower (326 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm). All that harrumph is distributed by the intelligent all-wheel-drive system as required between the front and the rear wheels.
While we’re on the subject of numbers, let’s continue crunching them. In terms of combined fuel economy, the EPA rating is an impressive 64 MPGe. In pure electric mode, the EPA is adamant that the 2017 BMW 740e xDrive iPerformance’s 9.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is good for circa 14 miles.
Better still, the full-size luxobarge can be driven in EV mode at speeds of up to 75 mph. Even though it’s greener than the gasoline-only 740i, the 740e also happens to be pretty quick. 60 mph (96 km/h) arrives in just 5.1 seconds, making this Bavarian interloper just as fast as a 740i xDrive.
If it were your money on the line, would you spend your $90k on this plug-in hybrid sedan or a similarly priced Tesla Model S? On another note, should BMW turn its attention to fully electric powertrains instead of milking the PHEV cash cow? I would love to see a 7 Series EV turn to fruition.
What hides under the skin? First and foremost, there’s a BMW TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. Then there’s the obligatory electric motor and charging port. Simple, right? Combined, the powertrain delivers 322 horsepower (326 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm). All that harrumph is distributed by the intelligent all-wheel-drive system as required between the front and the rear wheels.
While we’re on the subject of numbers, let’s continue crunching them. In terms of combined fuel economy, the EPA rating is an impressive 64 MPGe. In pure electric mode, the EPA is adamant that the 2017 BMW 740e xDrive iPerformance’s 9.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is good for circa 14 miles.
Better still, the full-size luxobarge can be driven in EV mode at speeds of up to 75 mph. Even though it’s greener than the gasoline-only 740i, the 740e also happens to be pretty quick. 60 mph (96 km/h) arrives in just 5.1 seconds, making this Bavarian interloper just as fast as a 740i xDrive.
If it were your money on the line, would you spend your $90k on this plug-in hybrid sedan or a similarly priced Tesla Model S? On another note, should BMW turn its attention to fully electric powertrains instead of milking the PHEV cash cow? I would love to see a 7 Series EV turn to fruition.