Price+Spec news for SA – BMW 740e is the new plug-in hybrid eDrive 7 Series

BMW 740e

The luxury large-car segment is not missing out on the hybrid… in fact, the larger cars benefit more from the electric + fuel-powered drivetrain combination than smaller cars.

In 2012 BMW SA added the ackwardly-named ActiveHybrid 7 to the then-7, so for the new-generation high-tech 7 Series it launched here last year, a new hybrid is being added:  the BMW 740e eDrive.

Plug-in hybrid 7 – the BMW 740e eDrive

It may have been a shock (or maybe still is?) to put a 2.0 4-cylinder engine in the big 7 Series, but this is what happened:  the previous 3.0 6-cyl hybrid makes way for the setup recently introduced in the X5 xDrive40e eDrive, meaning this time it is a plug-in hybrid which the previous 7 hybrid was not. 

Fear not, as the 740e eDrive (can we just call it 740e?) produces a 240kW drivetrain output (mathcing the 740i 3.0 turbo 6’s number of 240kW) and system torque of 500Nm, which is 50 more than the 740i.  Performance is there, with 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds, and top speed set to 250km/h, as are all current 7 Series.  In pure electric mode, speed in the 740e is limited to 120km/h.

As the 740e uses mostly its eDrive battery power to drive the car (which is recharged from the electric plug you connect at home or office, or at certain public charging areas) the engine uses very little fuel, as only works occassionally.  Depending on use and your / your chauffeur’s driving style, of course.  The claimed combined cycle is said to be 2.1 l/100km and emissions of 49 g/km… in a 7 Series!

The 740e has BMW i-specific blue decorative elements around the air vent control flaps, and blue wheel hub cover framing (centre cap in blue circle, though not for M Sport or Individual wheels).  To be more discreet, you could opt for deletion of these.  The stylised “i” logo above the side air breathers, eDrive badge on the rear fenders around the mid-section, and door sill finishers with eDrive lettering remain.

BMW is considerate in the pricing of this hybrid, too, charging just R25k-odd extra for the hybrid drivetrain and benefits over that of the 730d:

BMW 740e	R 1 431 500
BMW 740e Exterior Design Pure Excellence	R 1 444 300
BMW 740e M Sport	R 1 474 800
BMW 740e Individual	R 1 663 000

                 
Note: the accompanying images depict the 740Le which is the long wheelbase model not available in SA.