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BMW maps out future hybrid technology
publication date: Oct 4, 2011
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author/source: Robin Roberts
BMW
hybrid power is coming to the UK in February with the launch of the
ActiveHybrid 5, a petrol-electric saloon based on the 5 Series.
The BMW
ActiveHybrid 5 delivers similar performance to a 535i, but with 16 per cent
lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
|  | As a result, it sits six bands lower
in the benefit-in-kind company car tax scale.
The £46860
ActiveHybrid 5 can give up to 340hp, hit 60mph in under 5.9 seconds and reach
155mph, while its sophisticated hybrid powertrain has been certified to give
44.1mpg.
The BMW
ActiveHybrid 5 features precise and intelligent energy management for maximum
fuel efficiency. It has as standard BMW Professional Multimedia satellite
navigation system, which can read the road ahead and prepare the car's
powertrain and electrical systems to respond in the most efficient way.
For
example, if it detects a hilly stretch ahead, it stores energy in the battery
so that the electric motor is ready to assist the engine, already knowing this
will be recouped later in the journey.
The drivetrain
of the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 combines the 306hp 3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol
engine of the 535i with a 54hp electric motor and an eight-speed automatic
gearbox. This is the first time an in-line six-cylinder engine has been part of
a BMW ActiveHybrid system. Together, the engine and electric motor can generate
a maximum 340hp and 450Nm of torque.
At speeds of up
to 37mph the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 can travel up to 2.4 miles on electric power
supplied by the high-performance lithium-ion battery stored in the boot,
between the wheel housings. The electric motor, also integrated into the
gearbox housing for the best packaging efficiency, delivers a maximum 210Nm of
torque from rest.
The internal
combustion engine - featuring a twin-scroll turbocharger, high-precision direct
fuel injection and VALVETRONIC variable valve timing - comes into play only
when the driver needs more power or the energy stored in the battery is
exhausted. When accelerating, the electric motor assists the petrol engine by
providing an additional boost.
This results in
acceleration to equal that of a 535i: zero to 62mph in 5.9 seconds, and a
limited top speed of 155mph. The ActiveHybrid 5 has a clear edge in economy and
emissions with a combined consumption figure of 44.1mpg and a CO2 output of
149g/km. This equates to a benefit-in-kind tax rate of only 19 per
cent.
The BMW
ActiveHybrid 5 will make its global debut at the Tokyo Motor Show on 30
November and goes into production at the company's Dingolfing plant in January,
2012. It will go on sale in the UK on 25 February, 2012, priced at £46,860. | | |
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