Upgrades on 2019 BMW 740e iPerformance include 390 hp engine, longer electric-only range

The new BMW 740e iPerformance certainly has an edge with the luxury it offers as well as the fuel efficiency it gives. However, those who are already thinking of buying one may want to wait a bit as the 2019 model year of the sedan comes with a handful of major upgrades.

According to BMW Blog, their sources told them that the upcoming 740e iPerformance will have a 2.0 liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine, together with batteries with a higher energy density and a new electric motor. Though there haven’t been any valid specifications yet, reports say that the model will produce around 390 horsepower (290 kilowatts), while also having a longer electric-only range.

Similar to the 530 iPerformance, the updated model will likely have a wireless charging system. Its name could also be changed to 745e iPerformance.

The powertrain is not the only thing that will be upgraded in the 7 Series model. Inside the cabin, the driver will receive a new digital instrument cluster too, which they call the “Live Cockpit”. This will look very similar to that of the 8 Series as well as the Z4 concept.

For $90,700, customers can get the outgoing 2018 740e xDrive iPerformance that is equipped with a 2.0 liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine, together with an electric motor that carries out 111 horsepower (82 kilowatts) and 184 pound-feet (249 Newton metres) of torque, and a 9.2 kWh lithium-ion battery.

With all these combined, the outgoing model has a total output of 322 horsepower (240 kilowatt) and 369 pound-feet (500 Newton metres) of torque. In just 5.1 seconds, the car can sprint from 0 to 60 miles per hour, and can drive up to 14 miles (22 kilometers) on electricity.

In an earlier report, it was mentioned that an upgraded version of the 740e iPerformance model will be available, and that an upcoming car may be carrying a 745e badge on its boot, which they think will do better than the outgoing 740e. It was said that this will be upgraded when it comes to power output as well as electric range.

Sources then said that it will be available in a hybrid setup, paired with a 2 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged engine that will produce around 390 horsepower, reflecting a small bump in power. The batteries that will be used will be compact like those in the new BMW i3 and i3S models, but with a higher energy density. The hybrid setup should be able to cover longer distances as well.