Category Archives: 740e

Tesla Model 3 (Image: Tesla.com)

Electric vehicle acronym guide: Know your BEVs from FCEVs from PHEVs from ULEVs

When it comes to more sustainable driving, there is a whole host of options now and it can be confusing knowing what’s what. In the olden days you pretty much had the choice of diesel or petrol, but with the ever-evolving market of low-emission vehicles, there’s more choice than ever.

When it comes to “EVs,” you can choose from BEVs, PHEVs, HEVs, or FCEVS, all of which are classed as ULEVs. But what do all these acronyms actually mean?

If you need some quick pointers on what all these acronyms stand for and what they refer to specifically, look no further.

BEV
Let’s start with the most common type of EV, and the type of vehicle we usually refer to when we’re talking about EVs: the battery electric vehicle, or BEV.

As the name suggests, a BEV is an electric vehicle that uses batteries to store and deploy power which powers electric motors to drive the wheels. It’s also common to see words like “pure electric,” or “all-electric” when you read about battery electric vehicles.

Popular BEVs include cars like the Nissan Leaf, the whole range of Teslas, the Polestar 2, the BMW i3, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Soul EV, VW’s ID.3 and e-Golf, the Jaguar i-Pace — you get the idea.

Tesla Model 3 (Image: Tesla.com)
Tesla Model 3 (Image: Tesla.com)

PHEV and HEV
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) are perhaps the most confusing of the partially-electric vehicle world. There’s one key difference, though: plug-in hybrids can be charged up like a battery electric vehicle by plugging-in to an EV charge point, regular hybrids cannot.

It gives you the flexibility to drive and use your PHEV like it was a BEV and not rely on the combustion engine, for very short journeys at least. They typically have very small batteries and are only capable of driving between 30 and 50 miles on all-electric mode.

Popular PHEVs include the Mitsubishi Outlander, Hyundai Ioniq, MINI Countryman PHEV, and the Volvo XC60 T8.

Regular hybrid vehicles (HEVs), like the original Toyota Prius, can’t be plugged in and the only way to charge their batteries is from regenerative braking or by using the engine like a generator.

Some companies have even referred to these vehicles as “self-charging hybrids,” as if not having to plug them in is a benefit. That phrase has been branded as misleading, and Toyota and Lexus ads in EV loving Norway using the tag line have been banned for being misleading. In reality, to charge them, you need to fuel them with gasoline.

FCEV
FCEV stands for, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle. These are a small offshoot of EVs that use hydrogen fuel cells to create an electrical charge that’s used to power motors that drive the wheels.

Most FCEVs use a small battery or super capacitor to act as a buffer between the fuel cell and the motors to ensure power delivery is consistent and reliable.

Some tout fuel cell vehicles as a better option than batteries for the future of sustainable transport. They can be filled up in the same way as a combustion engine vehicle, hydrogen is the most abundant element in the world, and their only waste product is water vapor.

Read more: TheNextWeb

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Living With The BMW 740e

Two Weeks With The Green Limo

It sits at the top of the BMW tree, sure there’s the i8 but when it comes to a pioneering marvel the BMW 7 series wins hands down. So many world firsts debuted on this car along with its rival the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The generation one car featured BMW’s first on board computer and airbags, today gesture control is another precedent set. The flagship has always been powered by petrol and from the mid-nineties diesel. In more recent times electricity helps to propel the beast along. Chris Bowen spent two weeks in the plug-in hybrid variant, the 740e.

Very Potent

First up the usual 3.0-litre inline turbo-six-cylinder petrol unit has been ditched for a turbo 2.0-litre turbo-four-cylinder hooked up to an electric engine. Don’t underestimate what seems like lunacy, the combo pumps out 240kW and even more torque at 500Nm. If you’re interested in breaking down the figures the petrol engine contributes 190kW / 400Nm while the electric motor tips in the extra 83kW / 250Nm. This is a very quick 8-speed mothership that’s marginally quicker than its petrol donor car.

After jumping inside the 740i early last year I was expecting more of the same. That sameness means spades of opulence and an ability to stir the senses. In fact, having one for an entire two-week period really gave me a reality slap, it’s easy when doing this gig to lose perspective. The car simply makes you feel like a king, a king that likes to drive himself.

The Drive.

The cabin is so well insulated that if it wasn’t for the unique iPerformance instrument cluster and eDrive graphics you’d be flat out knowing when the battery is providing the momentum or the petrol engine has kicked in. It just floats along in a very pillowy way. The automatic self-levelling air suspension dispatches just about all surfaces with ridiculous ease. Even on dirt this thing just seems oblivious to the real world conditions. I’d say with my Rolls Royce experiences in mind the ride is basically the same, plus a bucket load cheaper.

The usual driving modes are there to suit your mood. There are two comfort modes, “Comfort” and “Comfort Plus” the latter dead set makes the car feel like it’s floating. In fact, the comfort modes are clearly more aimed at providing those in the back with the ultimate, hushed ride to and from the office. As a driver, they turn the limo into a slightly annoying woolly experience, especially around town. But flick into “Sports” mode and it’s goodbye flying magic carpet, hello excitement machine.

Read more: EFTM