Road Test: 2019 BMW 745e

Plug-In Hybrid Super Cruiser

Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) deliver some of the benefits of all-electric motoring while removing any concerns about charging or range. The 2019 BMW 745e is a version of marque’s large sedan that fits that description, with an electric socket in one fender and a gas filler in the other, and an official all-electric range of 16 miles.

You can get a 7-Series sedan with a turbocharged gas engine with six, eight or 12 cylinders. The 2019 BMW 745e combines the inline, 280-horsepower, 3.0-liter six-cylinder with an 111-horsepower eDrive electric motor and a 10.3 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack to deliver a potent 389 total horsepower. That’s good for a 4.9-second zero-to-60 sprint.

It all runs through an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, so you can select gears manually, minus a clutch. And, with “xDrive iPerformance” as part of its name, the 745e comes with all-wheel drive for better traction and safety, although it’s unlikely you would ever take it off-road.

With the PHEV drivetrain, you can hope to get the EPA’s estimated 56 MPGe if you use both engine and motor, and 22 mpg if you use only gas. The Smog rating is just 3 while the Greenhouse Gas rating is a decent 6. This is no plug-in Prius.

Remarkable—And Remarkably Expensive

The 7-Series BMW is a remarkable and legendary vehicle, and it should be wonderful, considering its base price of $95,550. My handsome tester, in a new shade—Donington Grey Metallic—came to a whopping $119,875, with five option packages, special wood interior trim, M Sport brakes, a killer Bowers & Wilkins sound system, a fully featured rear entertainment system with dual screens on the front seatbacks, and the destination charge.

Many things make this vehicle special. It performs like a super athlete, as you’d expect from a BMW. It has all the right moves, thanks to the standard adaptive suspension, including electronically controlled dampers and two-axle air suspension with automatic self-levelling.

All 2019 BMW 745s come with standard Dakota leather upholstery, but my tester, with its slew of options, had the elaborately quilted Ivory and black Nappa leather. You need to go online and take a look at it.

The New Tech Arrives

High tech is everywhere. The Active Driving Assistant package, bristling with camera and radar technology, includes collision and pedestrian warning, city braking, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, rear collision preparation, cross traffic alert and more. My tester had the extended “Professional” version ($1,700), with extended Traffic Jam Assistant, which steers, accelerates and brakes for you up to 37 mph on limited-access divided highways.

The 2019 BMW 745e boasts adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, active lane keeping assistant with side collision avoidance and on and on. There is simply too much in this car to list in an article.

Drivers will enjoy service from the Intelligent Personal Assistant. It learns routines and habits and applies them appropriately, including your favorite settings and frequently used nav destinations.  You can even give it a personalized name.

Customize the experience by selecting Sport, Hybrid or Electric on the console. Sport gives you the rocket ship performance you expect, Hybrid uses the car’s brains to balance the engine and motor appropriately, and Electric uses the motor and battery only—as long as there’s juice. This is especially valuable in Europe, where some city centers are starting to limit access of petrol cars.

There are layers of tech features if you explore a little. I found the Caring Car program selector. You can choose from “Vitalize” or “Relax.” Each has preset settings that change the climate control, light, and music to put you in the preselected mood. When I picked “Vitalize” I got random gusts of cool air and three minutes of music that I wouldn’t have chosen myself. It’s the future.

Special Touches in Back

Rear seat occupants get a spectacular experience as well. For one thing, there’s an incredible amount of legroom, but there’s also complete control over the entertainment and climate systems. The rear seats are heated, ventilated and include massage as part of the Luxury Rear Seating package ($3,900). The Panoramic Sky Lounge LED Roof, part of the Executive package ($2,500) adds to the feeling of spaciousness (like flying first class).

 So, who’s the customer? Likely someone who can afford a car of this caliber who wants to at least make a gesture toward doing something environmentally beneficial. Granted, it’s a lot less impact than driving an all-electric Tesla (some of which pass the $100K mark too), but it’s a start. And, if the car is used for local driving and is charged diligently, its consumption of fossil fuels will be significantly less than the gasoline versions.

BMW plans to introduce more partial and all-electric vehicles in the next few years. To compete with offerings from Tesla, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes and others, an all-electric 7 Series may arrive then.

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Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.