[robfen]

Has anyone driven or heard anything about the 550e?
I know some are delivered already but can find nothing.

[Deho]

I'm also still awaiting first drive impressions and reviews since if I go with a 5 series for my next car the choice will probably be between a i5 xDrive40 and a 550e (the i5 M60 is just a little out of my price range).

You can find a few 750e and X5 50e reviews online if you want to get an idea since they share a powertrain.

[whofelt]

Keeping a close eye on this over the 540, the battery range is just about my two way commute to and from work

[Deho]

Originally Posted by whofelt

Keeping a close eye on this over the 540, the battery range is just about my two way commute to and from work

Yeah for most people who can charge the car at home the 550e feels vastly superior to the 540i considering you get much better performance AND fuel economy.

[robfen]

It should give a lot of the handling of the m60 due to the adaptive suspension and IAS with similar performance.

To my mind it's the sweet spot in the range and it helps it's less expensive (and heavy) than the m60!

[radiogen]

I am looking at 550e and very limited information from real users here also. Don't see any alternatives considering power/price.

[aherman18]

Originally Posted by robfen

It should give a lot of the handling of the m60 due to the adaptive suspension and IAS with similar performance.

To my mind it's the sweet spot in the range and it helps it's less expensive (and heavy) than the m60!

I'm also waiting on info for the 550e. My current lease ends in Feb, hopefully they will extend.

Is it confirmed to have adaptive suspension and IAS? Also, I noted on the 540 configurators, for luxury seating, they are showing articulating backs. Hope this shows as well.

Thanks,

Andrew

[MikeElmendorf]

Andrew -

You can extend for up to two months online through BMW financial no questions asked. I did that. And I just extended another month as arrival of my M60 was delayed. I am told by dealer you can go out up to 6 months with a vehicle on order. You should have no issues there. Good luck.

I was interested in the 550e but couldn’t wait that long (and prefer the M themed dash in the M60) so pullled that trigger. My decision there might represent the most expensive font change in history. Haha. Should be here this week….I hope.

[alewifebp]

If you are leasing, the M60 would be cheaper, since the federal $7,500 credit only applies to a full BEV.

[promee]

i can only charge 1~3 times weekly, but still considering the 550e.
is there a mode that i can go full gasline without or minimized the battery consumption?

[robfen]

found this video

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by alewifebp

If you are leasing, the M60 would be cheaper, since the federal $7,500 credit only applies to a full BEV.

OP is in Ireland, not the USA.

[tsbrown]

Originally Posted by Deho

Yeah for most people who can charge the car at home the 550e feels vastly superior to the 540i considering you get much better performance AND fuel economy.

According to BMW the 540iX is 4370lbs and 0-60 in 4.4 seconds. The 550e is 2230kg/4906lb and 0-60 in 4.3 seconds. Is that much better performance? Doesn’t seem like it to me but I’m not a fan of all that extra weight either.

[tsbrown]

Anyone know why they de-rated the B58 in this car to less than 300bhp? If it was 335bhp as the original or 375bhp as the current then the extra 197bhp of the electric motor would be more compelling from a performance standpoint.

[aherman18]

I don't know if it actually de-rated or if there is a weird computation for when they combine the 2 power plants? Neither power plant produces combined what they are rated for separately?

Same type of thing on my 2021 530e.

[tsbrown]

Originally Posted by aherman18

I don't know if it actually de-rated or if there is a weird computation for when they combine the 2 power plants? Neither power plant produces combined what they are rated for separately?

Same type of thing on my 2021 530e.

Googled a bit and the best answer I found was this...the electric motor and ICE have different power curves so while the ICE peak power is at high RPMs, the electric motor peaks at middle RPMs and falls off from there. So the combined peak power is less than the sum of the two.

That said, attached is the spec sheet from BMW Press Club Global site lists the nominal output of the ICE at 313 hp and the nominal output of the electric motor at 197 hp. So it seems this version of the B58 is indeed detuned for some reason.

[robfen]

Originally Posted by tsbrown

According to BMW the 540iX is 4370lbs and 0-60 in 4.4 seconds. The 550e is 2230kg/4906lb and 0-60 in 4.3 seconds. Is that much better performance? Doesn’t seem like it to me but I’m not a fan of all that extra weight either.

550e 0-62 4.3s
540i 0-62 4.7s

[RJH52]

Originally Posted by robfen

550e 0-62 4.3s
540i 0-62 4.7s

540i is 4.4 according to BMWUSA

[robfen]

Originally Posted by RJH52

540i is 4.4 according to BMWUSA

that's 0-60 so slightly lower
0-60 for 550e is 4.1s

[RJH52]

Originally Posted by robfen

that's 0-60 so slightly lower
0-60 for 550e is 4.1s

Wouldn’t think it would that .3 to reach another 2mph

[tsbrown]

So is the US (one of) the only market where we will have the choice between 540i and 550e? Seems in Europe and Canada only petrol engine options are 520 or 530, but no 540i. Is this correct?

[Deho]

Originally Posted by robfen

550e 0-62 4.3s
540i 0-62 4.7s

Adding my two cents to the performance debate between the 540i and the 550e: the time to 60 is just a part of it; the instant electric torque is not to be ignored when it comes to the feeling of speed.

The downsides of the 550e vs the 540i seem to be price and weight.

Won't stop me though as the advantages of emission free (and very cheap) local travel takes precedence.