BMW's ActiveHybrid 5 Concept takes gas-electric technology a step beyond what's available in the original ActiveHybrid 7.
Slow off the line with the introduction of its first gasoline-electric vehicle, BMW is making up for lost time as it begins rolling out an assortment of new hybrids. The next one due to reach showrooms around the world is the ActiveHybrid 5, based on the German maker’s new mid-range sedan.
The 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 doesn’t look much different than the base 5-Series, and the name might suggest it shares underlying powertrains with the 2010 ActiveHybrid 7, but on the technical front, it turns out, there’s a fair degree of differentiation.
The primary powerplant, explains Klaus Draeger, the automaker’s technology chief, is a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo, direct-injection inline-six, which makes 301 horsepower. That’s mated to a 55 hp electric motor which can drive the vehicle by itself for short distances, at speeds up to about 60 mph. The ActiveHybrid 7, on the other hand, uses a simpler driveline not intended for running solely on batteries.
The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 is a so-called Two-Mode hybrid which, at its most basic, means it can operate at highway speeds more efficiently than more conventional gas/electric technology, such as in the Toyota Camry Hybrid. BMW was part of a consortium of automakers working together on the basic Two-Mode concept, including General Motors, Daimler and Chrysler, but it eventually broke off and the Bavarians now claim the drivetrain in the ActiveHybrid 5 is their own unique design.
Whatever the genetics, Draeger hints that on the street, the 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 should yield about 15 to 20% better fuel economy than a vehicle with comparable performance.
Ostensibly shown in concept form, Draeger told TheDetroitBureau.com, “it will definitely go into production,” and will reach “all global markets,” likely starting in 2012. Pricing hasn’t been set but he believes the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 will carry a modest premium over the conventionally-powered BMW 535.