2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5
The 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 will be an all-new model.
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 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. 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.
Pricing hasn’t been set but he believes the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 will carry a modest premium over the conventionally-powered BMW 535.
BMW, looking to improve the fuel economy of its vehicle lineup, will likely introduce the 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 in the summer of 2011.
This means the vehicle can be powered solely by the electric motor at low speeds, switch the gasoline engine at higher speeds and combine the two when maximum power is summoned. On the plus side, the ActiveHybrid 5's 40 kW electric motor is much more powerful than the 7's 15 kW unit.
For instance, the vehicle may run on electric power for longer periods if downhill grades are coming up, allowing regenerative braking to replenish the batteries.
Plugging an existing hybrid system into an existing car isn't quite as easy as plugging into an outlet, but the team at BMW is making it look that way, with the recently-unveiled BMW ActiveHybrid 5 already moving from concept car to testing prototype.
The hybrid system under the hood pairs a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder (the previous-gen N54 by the sound of it) mated to a 54 horsepower electric motor that runs on the juice from a lithium-ion battery pack. Look for a world debut of the 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March.
