ELECTRIFYING LUXURY

This future-oriented driver experience in the luxury performance segment has arrived in Malaysia as the BMW 740Le xDrive Pure Excellence with extended wheelbase and intelligent all-wheel drive. Compared to its 4-cylinder predecessor, the new BMW 740Le’s plug-in hybrid system now includes a 6-cylinder in-line petrol engine and a further advanced high-voltage battery with enlarged capacity.

Progress vis-à-vis the predecessor model is reflected by a boost in output and torque as well as improved figures for electrically powered range, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. With its new drive technology, the BMW 740Le xDrive represents the typical character of the luxury sedan more than ever before.

BMW is sharpening the profile of its flagship models in the luxury segment. The new edition of the BMW 7 Series makes a clear statement of intent with its confident presence, sophisticated elegance and strikingly innovative driver assistance and connectivity technology.

Most significant, perhaps, is the extensively advanced plug-in hybrid powertrain that enables the luxury sedan to combine the sporty flair, travel comfort and feel-good ambience of the brand’s top models with a particularly high level of efficiency.

Operating in tandem is an electric motor with a rated output of 113 hp and a rated torque of 265 Nm, along with a new lithium-ion battery featuring the very latest battery cell technology and expanded storage capacity.

The likewise further advanced power electronics features intelligent energy management for precisely controlled interaction between the two power units.

The flagship’s new in-line 6-cylinder petrol engine hails from the current BMW EfficientDynamics engine family that has been adapted on a model-specific basis to produce a peak output 286 hp and offering unmistakable revving power and running smoothness.

Thanks to its larger battery pack, the new BMW 740Le xDrive is able to cover up to 46 kilometres purely on electric power. In ELECTRIC mode, it is able to reach a maximum speed 140km/h driven purely by the electric motors. Even in HYBRID mode, the system allows pure electric driving at speeds up to 110km/h (20km/h faster than the predecessor) before firing up the engine under high load conditions.

The BMW 740Le xDrive’s electric motor is integrated in the 8-speed Steptronic transmission. In braking and coasting phases it acts as a generator, feeding energy into the high-voltage battery by means of recuperation. The lithium-ion battery also serves to power the on-board network. In addition, its energy can be used to run the standard auxiliary air conditioning system.

For a particularly powerful set-off manoeuvre, it is even possible to draw on a maximum system torque of 600 Nm. The new drive system gives the plug-in hybrid models of the new BMW 7 Series optimised sprint capacity, enabling the new BMW 740Le xDrive to reach the 100 km/h mark from standing start in 5.1 seconds. Its maximum speed is electronically cut off at 250 km/h.

The new high-voltage battery for the plug-in hybrid models of the BMW 7 Series now has a gross energy content that has been increased to 12.0 kWh. The increased storage capacity of the lithium-ion battery creates the basis for expanding the share of purely electrically powered, locally emissions-free and virtually noiseless driving in the luxury sedans well beyond the sphere of urban mobility.

The high-voltage battery is positioned underneath the rear seats, while the 46-litre fuel tank is located above the rear axle. This means that the luggage compartment volume of the plug-in hybrid model is only slightly compromised with 420 litres of space available.

The vehicle set-up and operating mode of the drive system can be selected at the press of a button using a joint control panel in the central console. Here, the driving experience switch offers the modes SPORT for a particularly dynamic set up and ADAPTIVE is geared towards the relevant driving style and situation, as well as the three operating modes HYBRID, ELECTRIC and BATTERY CONTROL.

HYBRID mode serves as the standard setting that activates a balanced set-up and optimised interaction between the combustion engine and electric motor. By pressing the HYBRID button twice, this operating mode is activated in an efficiency-optimised version (HYBRID ECO PRO). Driving with reduced fuel consumption is supported in this mode. The coasting function is one of the factors that contribute to this effect. Here, the electrical boost is only available for kick-down manoeuvres.

It is possible to select ELECTRIC mode as the standard setting via the iDrive menu. This mode is for purely electric-powered driving.

In SPORT mode, the electric motor is not used on its own but solely in support of the combustion engine. The BATTERY CONTROL setting serves to keep the charge state of the high-voltage battery at a level determined by the driver. When driving on a motorway for example, the power reserves can be saved or even increased to be used later.

The selected operating mode is displayed as part of the new design of the instrument panel, easily and clearly identified by means of the relevant colour. Electric driving continues to be easily recognisable by means of areas marked in blue in the speedometer as well as on the output display/power meter. This also clearly displays the add-on start limits for the combustion engine and the output and speed limits that apply to electrically powered driving.

When charging the high-voltage battery, the driver can see all the relevant information in the instrument panel such as charge level and duration, charging current, currently available electrical range and the next departure time selected, as well as the chosen conditioning level.

The plug-in hybrid BMW 740Le xDrive variant of the new BMW 7 Series takes all of the luxury sedan’s sporty prowess, passenger comfort and feel-good ambience and combine them with exceptionally high efficiency and the ability to offer a virtually silent, all-electric driving experience with zero local emissions.

The integration of a six-cylinder in-line engine into the plug-in hybrid system, a more advanced high-voltage battery, more power and torque, plus improved figures for electric range, consumption and CO2 emissions chart the progress that has been made compared with the outgoing models.

Specifications

BMW 740Le xDrive

• Six-cylinder in-line petrol engine + synchronous electric motor

• Eight-speed Steptronic transmission, BMW xDrive.

• Petrol engine

• Capacity: 2,998 cc

• Output: 286 hp @ 5,000 – 6,000 rpm

• Max Torque: 450 Nm @ 1,500 – 3,500 rpm.

• Electric motor

• Rated Output: 113 hp

• Max Torque: 265 Nm

• Combined Output: 394 hpMax

• Combined Torque: 600 Nm

• Acceleration, 0 – 100 km/h: 5.1 seconds

• Top speed: 250 km/h

• Top speed (electric): 140 km/h

• Electric range: 46 km

• Fuel consumption combined: 2.8 l/100 km

• Electric power consumption combined: 19.5 kWh/100km

• CO2 fuel emissions combined: 65 g/km

In-line 6-cylinder petrol engine and further advanced high-voltage battery gives the new BMW 740Le xDrive increased system output of 394hp and 46km of emissions-free driving.

Model shown may vary from local specifications.