BMW presents ActiveHybrid 5

BMW has officially revealed the 5 Series-based ActiveHybrid 5, a new petrol/electric variant capable of travelling 4km on electric power alone, at speeds up to 60km/h. The news broke during an international media event for the new M5, but motoring.com.au also spoke with BMW Australia this morning about the chances of the ActiveHybrid 5 going on sale here. The local arm couldn't confirm anything on that score, but is looking at the hybrid model very closely.

"We're just having the conversation right now, but it's certainly a car we'd like very much to bring to Australia," said Piers Scott, BMW Australia's Head of Corporate Communications. Unlike ActiveHybrid versions of the 7 Series and the X6, the ActiveHybrid 5 will be built for right-hand drive markets, Scott said.

In combination, the ActiveHybrid 5's 225kW twin-turbo six and the 40kW electric motor produce peak power of 250kW, but the company rates CO2 emissions from the hybrid at 149g/km. That's a substantial improvement on the figure of 186g/km posted by the Lexus GS 450 h, the car likely to be the closest direct competitor to the new BMW in the US and other global markets.

But Scott doesn't agree that the ActiveHybrid 5 is designed primarily for the North American market, although that's likely to be the company's largest market for the hybrid.

"I wouldn't say it's that reactionary. When we first announced our EfficientDynamics strategy it was always a three-step strategy: fuel-saving innovations with a conventional combustion engine being step one, the ActiveHybrid technology being step two, and then zero-emissions — in the form of hydrogen and electric vehicles — being step three.

"I wouldn't be as cynical as to say that; I would say it has always been part of our long-term strategy to develop active hybrids, and they do have application outside of the United States — particularly in Asian markets. Japan, for example, offers quite large incentives for hybrids. Obviously in Europe as well..."

Fuel consumption in (European) NEDC testing is claimed to be as low as 6.4L/100km, but may be as high as 7.0L/100km depending on the tyres fitted. According to the manufacturer, this level of fuel use represents a "double-digit percentage improvement" over the figures for the 535i, which uses basically the same 3.0-litre inline six. Key features of the engine are: a twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Direct Injection and VALVETRONIC variable valve timing.

The hybrid-drive system in the ActiveHybrid 5 is nominally a power-split type, with the vehicle able to run in EV mode or petrol-only mode, but the car can also coast (akin to Porsche's sailing mode), with the petrol engine stopped at speeds up to 160km/h. Unlike some hybrid-drive systems, the coasting mode in the ActiveHybrid 5 depends on the petrol engine being de-coupled from the rest of the car's drivetrain.  This is achieved through a clutch between the petrol engine and the electric motor, which is located in the bell housing of the automatic transmission. No safety or comfort functions are adversely affected by the freewheeling mode, the manufacturer claims.

BMW has developed the new model with various power recovery or conservation systems, including an auto-stop/start function and an automatic switchable mode for the electric motor to generate power for the battery when the vehicle is slowing. The 96-cell battery pack for the electric motor is a lithium-ion type, located in the boot and providing energy capacity of 675Wh. Boot space has been reduced 145 litres and is now 375 litres, BMW claims. A transformer steps down the 317 Volt supplied to 14 Volts for the conventional electrical components in the car.

The petrol engine and the electric motor can work in unison through the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission when the driver requires faster acceleration than one or the other driver units can deliver alone. This system is named E-Boost and the vehicle's time to 100km/h from a standing start is 5.9 seconds when both power units are in action.

BMW has also developed an electric four-zone climate control system that will run off battery power while the vehicle is stationary and the petrol engine is stopped. And the standard satnav system in the car monitors the driving environment to optimise fuel use accordingly.

In production, the ActiveHybrid 5 will be available in an exclusive colour, Bluewater metallic and other clues to the car's environmental credentials will extend to 'ActiveHybrid 5' badging and the legend 'ActiveHybrid Power Unit' for the battery casing in the boot.

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