Shortly after unveiling the new G11/G12 BMW 7 Series
LCI (facelift in BMW speak), the German carmaker has revealed more details
about the plug-in hybrid variants – 745e, 745Le and 745Le xDrive – of its
flagship sedan. At its base, the plug-in hybrid system uses a 3.0 litre turbocharged
straight-six engine with 286 PS and 450 Nm compared to the previous 740e, 740Le
and 740Le xDrive that packed a 2.0 litre turbo four-pot.
The eDrive aspect is of the powertrain is unchanged,
with an electric motor being integrated into the eight-speed Steptronic
gearbox, which not only provides drive but also doubles as a generator to
recuperate energy during braking and coasting phases. A slight tweak here is
the e-motor’s output that is now 113 PS and 265 Nm, the latter being a 15 Nm
improvement. Powering the e-motor is a more substantial 12 kWh lithium-ion battery
(pre-LCI models packed a 9.2 kWh unit) placed underneath the rear seats. The
battery is also used to run the car’s onboard network as well as auxiliary
systems like air-conditioning.
Aside from energy recuperation, the battery can also
be recharged by plugging the vehicle into a charging station (Type 2 connector
pictured here), with BMW claiming it’ll take about 4.4 hours with a 3.7 kW
outlet (16 A/230 V). It’s also noteworthy that plug-in hybrid variants have a smaller fuel
tank capacity of approximately 46 litres compared to the non-hybrids’ 78
litres. The available luggage capacity is also less at 420 litres compared to
515 litres.
The overall system output for all three variants is
identical at 394 PS and 600 Nm (previously was 326 PS and 500 Nm), with
all-wheel drive being another benefit for the xDrive-equipped model. Looking at
the performance figures, the 745e takes 5.2 seconds to get from zero to 100
km/h, while the 745Le takes 5.3 seconds, and the 745Le xDrive at 5.1 seconds.
All variants are electronically-limited to 250 km/h by default. Of course, if you wanted outright
performance, the M760Li xDrive is the way to go with its 6.6 litre twin-turbo
V12 providing 585 PS and 850 Nm (century sprint done in 3.8 seconds). The
eDrive-equipped 7 Series is more focused on efficiency and promoting a greener
motoring experience, making these next set of figures a little more important.
The three statistics here are electric-only range,
claimed fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Out of the three variants, the
short-wheelbase 745e comes out on top with an electric-only range of between
54-58 km, fuel consumption of between 2.3-2.1 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of
between 52-48 g/100 km. Next in line is the 745Le (52-55 km, 2.3-2.2 l/100 km and 53-50 g/100
km), followed by the 745Le xDrive (50-54 km, 2.6-2.3 l/100 km and 59-52 g/100
km). Compared to its predecessors, the new 7 Series PHEV models have a slightly
increased electric-only range of about 10 km, but the max top speed on the
e-motor alone remains at 140 km/h.
There are a number of drive modes
to select from, five to be exact – Sport, Adaptive, Hybrid, Electric and
Battery Control. The first brings out the powertrain’s maximum performance,
while Adaptive automatically sets the car up according to the driving style and
situation.
Upon vehicle startup, Hybrid is the standard
setting, providing a balanced setup and optimised interaction between the
combustion engine and electric motor. In Hybrid (including Hybrid Eco Pro), the
car is set up to minimise fuel consumption, with greater emphasis on the
coasting function and providing an electrical boost only during kickdown
manoeuvres. The Electric mode is pretty obvious, whereby the car runs on electric
power alone, with acoustic pedestrian protection being active. Lastly, Battery
Control allows drivers to maintain a certain charge state of the battery for
use later on.
BMW notes the 7 Series PHEV variants are available
with the Pure Excellence or M Sport trim package, along with a range of driver
assistance systems and optional equipment, except the Executive Drive Pro
active roll stabilisation package.