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NEWS
A million buyers for plug-in BMWs?
Development boss predicts seven-figure customer base for low-emission BMWs by 2020Tightening European emissions laws could force a million BMW buyers a year into plug-in hybrids by 2020, according to BMW’s development head.
The new laws will also see internal-combustion engines become virtually unrecognisable, compared to today’s engines, with more down-sizing and a radical lowering of engine revs to as little as 2500rpm.
BMW’s board member in charge of development admitted the company had grave concerns that other European countries may follow The Netherlands and demand CO2 emissions below 80 grams/km by 2020.
“There are some countries where we will need to be 100 per cent plug-in hybrid, like Holland, which is planning 80 grams emissions by 2020. If other countries adopt that, then it will be 50 per cent of our sales are PIHs,” Herbert Deiss admitted this week.
“To get below 80 grams, we will need longer gearboxes and down-speeding engines, but it will be more radical than that.”
Petrol engines will need to be completely re-engineered to turn only half as fast as today’s motors and deliver their peak torque from as little as 800rpm if they’re to survive in an electrified motoring world, he insisted.
“Initially that will mean 1800-2500rpm for the best ICE performance but it will really mean 800rpm-1800rpm longer term, or between 800-1500rpm.
“That’s where both petrol and diesel ICE need to go in the future to meet those kinds of numbers.
“More torque at lower rpm. There are still a lot of measures to improve in the engines. Internal friction is one, valve-train friction, higher injection pressures. It will be tighter. We will spend more money on the next five grams than we did on the last 10.”
Its i3 and i8 electric and hybrid models are part of BMW’s response to tighter emissions rules, with the i3 boasting a two-cylinder petrol motor in its optional hybrid format and the i8 (pictured) using a three-cylinder petrol engine to charge its battery pack.
“The i8 drivetrain will not be exclusive to the i8. The three-cylinder will be used in other cars as well.”
Most obviously, the three-cylinder engine will find homes throughout the models BMW plans off its new front-drive architecture, code named UKL. This architecture will provide the basis for BMW’s 1 and 2 Series families, along with the next X1 and the production version of the Sports Active Tourer concept and all future MINI models.
“When we decided to keep MINI, one of our major motivations was our fleet CO2 emissions, because it is not possible to get an SUV under 100 grams. But MINI and a family of front-drive BMWs will help and more three-cylinder engines will help,” he said, but it won’t stop there.
“I can see the day when the 3 and 4 Series will be powered by three-cylinder engines with electric boosting for low revs.
“The combination will be exciting with the low-speed torque of electric power and then that is taken over by the high-end performance with petrol engines. It’s exciting for us.”
For all that, there are still people who are torn between conventional hybrids, plug-in-hybrids, pure electric and conventional petrol power, and Mr Deiss admits he can see why.
“The compromise on PIH is the key. If we put too much battery in, then the cars are not getting any better because the batteries are not used to the maximum range.
“The right distance is maybe 30-50km but not more.”
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Written byMichael Taylor
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