Electric Cars: The Basics
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The BMW 7 Series Saloon PHEV
BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), is a leading global automotive manufacturer headquartered in Munich, Germany. BMW is well known for its portfolio of luxury vehicles, to include the famed Rolls-Royce luxury cars. The group manufacturers a number of cars under its BMW brand, to include battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The company currently has the following portfolio of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs):
- BMW 2 Series Active Tourer PHEV
- BMW 3 Series Saloon PHEV
- BMW 3 Series Touring PHEV
- BMW 5 Series Saloon PHEV
- BMW 5 Series Touring PHEV
- BMW 7 Series PHEV
- BMW X1 PHEV
- BMW X2 PHEV
- BMW X3 PHEV
- BMW X5 PHEV
The BMW 7 Series, a luxury saloon, has been manufactured since 1977. The vehicle is currently on its sixth generation. The BMW 7 Series is available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
When it comes to ultra-luxury saloon plug-in electric cars, few can compete with the Mercedes S-Class PHEV, except if the competitor is BMW! The 745e PHEV is a good alternative to the S-Class PHEV, albeit with a slightly lower price tag.
No doubt, the introduction of the 7 Series plug-in hybrid variant has been a good move by the German automotive group, making the EV attractive for both private and company-car owners, given the reduced tailpipe emissions (28 CO2/km). However, given the upmarket price for the 7 Series PHEV, the size of the onboard EV battery (11.15 kWh), onboard charger (3.7 kW) and emission-free electric range (51 km) is disappointing.
The real-world electric range of the BMW 745e PHEV (closer to 45 km), is sufficient for most shorter urban trips, but a larger EV battery could be leveraged for motorway driving, to further enhance the fuel economy of the vehicle.
BMW claims a fuel economy up to 1.2 l/100 km, but to achieve this, the EV has to be driven sufficiently on EV mode. It is worth noting that the latest plug-in electric cars have far more efficient engines. Moreover, by driving the BMW electric car on EV mode, the driving cost per km is reduced significantly. The driving costs per km for an EV is between 5 and 10 cents, significantly cheaper than using the internal combustion engine (ICE).
For the BMW premium-badge, a 7.4 kW onboard charger should have come as standard with the EV. However, given the smaller EV battery size, the 3.7 kW onboard charger will suffice, though, will take longer to charge the electric vehicle (up to 3.5 hours). The EV can be charged using a domestic 3-PIN socket, however, we at e-zoomed encourage charging via a dedicated home EV charging point, like Easee. The EV does not offer fast DC charging.
In any case, the plug-in electric car can be charged overnight at home, and we recommend EV drivers to develop a habit of ‘topping up’ the EV battery charge on a regular basis. This way, the EV can be driven as much as possible on the electric mode and also better for the overall health and maintenance of the EV battery. BMW offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty.
The rear-wheel drive (RWD) plug-in electric saloon pairs the BMW 83 kW (eDrive electric drive technology), with a 3.0-litre (six-cylinder) petrol engine. Despite the additional weight of the EV battery, the EV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds (maximum power: 313 hp). Top speed in EV mode is 140 km/h and using the combustion engine, the top speed is 250 km/h.
In terms of practicality, the boot space is slightly impacted by the placement of the EV battery and offers 420 L cargo volume. However, there is the usual excellent headroom and legroom for passengers. The interior is top-quality and is technology-laden. Executive Nappa leather upholstery comes as standard, ambient lighting, BMW intelligent personal assistant, remote software updates, driving assistant professional, steering and lane control assistant, and a lot more.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| A comfortable drive and quality build (exterior and interior) | An expensive PHEV with a limited electric range |
| Good infotainment system | An outdated exterior styling for some consumers |
| Cheap to run on electric mode | Onboard charger limited to 3.7 kW. DC charging not available |
Gallery
The BMW 7 Series Plug-In Hybrid Saloon (credit: BMW)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Body Type: | Saloon |
| Engine: | Petrol-Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | Yes |
| Variants (1 Option) |
|---|
| BMW 745e M Sport Saloon (price not available) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 11.15 kWh |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger 3.7 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3.5 hrs) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 28 – 22g (CO2/km) |
| Warranty: | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1467 |
| Width (mm): | 1902 |
| Length (mm): | 5120 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 3070 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 12.3 |
| Boot capacity (L): | 420 |
| BMW 745e xDrive Saloon | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 11.15 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 51 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (km/kWh): | 26.9 – 24.5 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100km): | 1.2 – 1.0 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger 3.7 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3.5 hrs) |
| Top Speed: | 250 km/h (electric mode: 140 km/h) |
| 0-100 km/h: | 4.9 seconds |
| Drive: | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 83 |
| Max Power (hp): | 313 |
| Torque (Nm): | 450 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 4 |
| Unladen Weight-EU (kg): | 2,455 |
| Colours: | 9 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
Ireland: EV Market Overview
As is the case in a number of global markets, to include the European Union and the United Kingdom, the sale of electric cars in Ireland is also fast gaining momentum. In fact, in January 2022, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), accounted for 21% of all new cars licensed in Ireland. Put another way, more than a fifth of the cars bought in Ireland were either pure electric or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
It is also worth nothing the continued decline in the sale of diesel vehicles in Ireland, as families and businesses migrate to lower tailpipe emission electric vehicles (EVs). Diesel market share has declined from 34.2% in early 2021 to 19.7% in early 2022. We can expect this trend to continue for the forseeable future.
The government has set a target of 936,000 electric vehicles by 2030, with 845,000 to be private passenger cars. This will be approximately a third of the vehicles on roads in Ireland (currently there are 2.8 million vehicles on the road). Like many other governments, Ireland is committed to ending the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars by 2030.
The government is committed to the rapid adoption of electric cars in the country. The Department of Transport has committed €100 million for EV subsidies in 2022 (almost double the commitment in 2021). The grant for private electric vehicles is up to €5,000 on qualifying battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), do not qualify for the electric vehicle grant.
Ireland: Top Electric Cars
| Top Electric Cars | Type Of EV |
|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Nissan Leaf | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Renault Zoe | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Kia e-Niro | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
| Kia EV6 | Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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