Test BMW 745 e: An e instead of an i

It has become as rare as all upper-class limousines in Europe: the 7 Series BMW. And when you spot a new model with a giant grille and a badge on the rear, it usually reads 745e. There are reasons for this, as we found out in our test, because the Bavarian luxury plug-in combines its electric motor with the silky inline-six cylinder to form an efficient duo that scarcely reaches the eight-liter mark even on long-distance drives with brisk intermediate sprints. In the test, it managed with 5.6 l/100 km plus 8.1 kW of electricity.

The Future Comes Again with "Eyeliner"

And of course, the more you charge, the more economical it becomes. The switch from four- to six-cylinder and a subtle battery update noticeably increased driving comfort – it didn't become much more economical for that reason, as a matter of principle. The next generation, already warming up, shows that much more is possible: It will again come as a combustion engine, plug-in, but soon also purely electric and will evolve noticeably in appearance: With eyeliner indicators above the headlights as seen in the "new class" of 1961, which is unique to BMW, a large grille, and lower-set headlights – but we digress into the future.

The Operation: Still a Benchmark

Let’s take our place in the "now" on the multi-adjustable, optionally heated and ventilated, and massaging seats and once again appreciate the still-perfect ergonomics via iDrive, touch, or comprehensible voice commands. Even if the appearance may seem a bit outdated compared to S-Class and Co., the 7 Series leaves nothing to be desired in terms of operation. And with its electrified smooth six-cylinder under the hood, it encourages sovereign gliding, which it rewards with economical consumption. Over several stages, we never exceeded 8.0 l/100 km, though we always diligently charged it. In urban areas, whenever the battery capacity allows, it tries to turn off the engine whenever possible. This can be optimized by entering an active route into the navigation system and driving in hybrid mode – then the 745e manages its battery reserve so that it glides locally emission-free in urban areas as long and as often as possible – although even with economical driving in warm temperatures, purely electric range rarely exceeds 40 kilometers – more likely 30 to 35… at least it can recuperate with up to 20 kW.

The Chassis with Integral Steering Makes the 745e More Compact Than It Is

The chassis with integral steering is also active, making the 5.12-meter BMW drive more compact than it actually is. Otherwise? It finds a pretty exact balance between calmness and feedback – the air suspension smooths all the bumps in the road without forgetting to give the driver precise feedback. In direct comparison, the 7 Series still feels more like a "driver’s car" than many others.

And with the 7 Series, we also notice that the luxury limousine always feels more luxurious than comparable SUVs like the X5 or X7, which tend to also consider leisure value and large families and are therefore designed to be slightly more practical (and cheaper). The same goes for the duos of other premium brands. Accordingly, you sit finely in the rear too, with the space only becoming truly generous in the (therefore recommended) L version.

With lightweight and parking, the then 2,150-kilogram 745e (with an 80-kilogram driver) doesn't fare as well, despite BMW massively tweaking every possible adjustment knob, including carbon segments that save additional pounds. While the 745e offers plenty of space inside, it is more economical with its 46-liter fuel tank and the 420-liter trunk with flat but deep capacity. In direct comparison, even the much more compact original model can offer more because there's no need to accommodate an additional 12.0 kWh battery.

However, there is still room for optimization for the successor. In the hope that we will encounter it more frequently again – because luxury class remains luxury class – the 745e scores even with age for maturity and comparatively high efficiency – above all compared to the SUV faction, which, however, comes significantly cheaper in terms of maintenance: because leasing rates and/or depreciation hit the 745e harder than the similarly powered X5 45e xDrive.

What does that mean?

It's actually a pity that the Seven series and co. fell so far behind in the favor of European buyers: Compared to SUVs, they generally offer a more active yet comfortable driving experience and are more efficient – in the case of the 745e, even surprisingly efficient!

Technical data/Measurements:

Drive:

Inline six-cylinder gasoline engine + AC synchronous machine,

Displacement: 2998 cm³,

Power: 83+210 kW (113 + 286 hp) at 7,000 rpm, System power: 290 kW / 394 hp

Torque: 450+265 Nm at 1500-3500 and at 0-2700 rpm, System torque: 600 Nm

LxWxH: 5120 x 1,902 (without mirrors) x 1467 mm

Wheelbase: 3,070 mm

Empty weight: 2,150 kg

Payload: 505 kg

Trunk: 420 l

Fuel tank: 46 l

Battery capacity: 12.0 kWh gross

Charging time: Household socket 2.3 kW: approx. 6h, Wallbox 3.7 kW AC: 3.5 h

Turning circle: 12.3 m

Top speed: 250, electric: 140 km/h

0-60/80/100 km/h: 2.9/4.0/5.4 sec.

50-80/80-120 km/h: 2.4/4.5 sec.

Noise levels at 30/50/60/80/100/120 km/h: 50/53/53/57/59/62 dB(A)

Cost per km: 0.87 Euro

Consumption:

City: 26.3 kWh/100 km

Country: 4.2 l + 18.5 kWh/100 km

Highway: 7.4 l/100 km

Total test round: 5.7 l + 8.1 kWh/100 km