2017 BMW 740e large plug-in hybrid luxury sedan with 14-mile range announced for U.S.2017 BMW 740e large plug-in hybrid luxury sedan with 14-mile range announced for U.S.

More than a year after it was first announced, the 2017 BMW 740e plug-in hybrid luxury sedan is about to arrive in U.S. showrooms.
The 740e xDrive i Performance—to use its full name—goes on sale this month as BMW’s fifth plug-in car in the U.S.
It joins the 330e i Performance sedan, the X5 xDrive 40e i Performance crossover utility vehicle, and i8 plug-in hybrids, as well as the i3 electric car.
DON’T MISS: 2016 BMW 740e Plug-In Hybrid: Fifth Electric Car From German Maker (Jun 2015)
BMW is adding the “i Performance” suffix to plug-in hybrid variants of existing models to tie them more closely to the “i” family of dedicated plug-in cars.
The 740e’s powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor integrated with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Total system output is 322 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.
2017 BMW 740e xDrive i Performance
That allows for 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, and a top speed of 155 mph, BMW says.
A 9.2-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack sits under the rear bench seat, which BMW says helps protect it from crash damage and has no impact on trunk volume.
It provides enough capacity for an estimated electric-only range of 14 miles, at speeds up to 75 mph.
ALSO SEE: BMW still leads U.S. plug-in sales percentages; X5 plug-in hybrid SUV helps
It’s rated at 64 MPGe in electric mode. (Miles Per Gallon Equivalent is a measure of a car’s energy efficiency that indicates how many miles it can travel electrically on the same amount of energy as contained in 1 gallon of gasoline.)
All-electric operation is activated using a “Max eDrive” button on the dashboard.
The driver can also control battery charging, specifying a target of anywhere from 30 to 100 percent and saving that charge for later planned bursts of electric driving.
2017 BMW 740e xDrive i Performance
As in the X5 xDrive 40e, the 740e also retains BMW’s mechanical xDrive all-wheel drive system.
This is somewhat different from such all-wheel-drive luxury hybrids as the Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX, which use dedicated electric motors to power the rear wheels.
MORE: BMW 330e plug-in hybrid ads: no wait for Tesla Model 3 needed
Like other 7-Series models, the 740e features a “Carbon Core” chassis designed using lessons learned from the i3 and i8.
It incorporates carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, aluminum, and high strength steel to cut weight. Current 7-Series models have aluminum doors and trunk lids as well.
2017 BMW 740e xDrive i Performance
With the introduction of the 740e, BMW bears the unusual distinction of offering 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder engines in the same model.
The 740i uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6, while the 750i uses a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8.
What BMW doesn’t have is a replacement for the previous-generation 740Ld xDrive diesel model.
RELATED: Diesel BMW 7-Series won’t be sold in U.S., company confirms
That model was cancelled earlier this year in the wake of the Volkswagen diesel scandal.
The 2017 BMW 740e xDrive i Performance starts at $90,095 (including destination).
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