BMW to build plug-in hybrid sports car

BMW didn't need to be told twice. The response to the Vision EfficientDynamics concept car at the Frankfurt motor show late in 2009 was overwhelmingly positive, the company claims, with the concept receiving "several awards", according to the company's press release.

With such a clamour for the car to go into production, BMW has taken the project to the next stage: a driveable real-world version of the car that can be sampled by members of the motoring press at the Leipzig trade fair.

A 2+2, the Vision EfficientDynamics features "wing" doors to allow easy access to the rear seats as well as the front of the cabin. This and the car's height of 1.24 metres both contribute to the very low drag coefficient of 0.22Cd. Combining that sort of aerodynamic efficiency with a hybrid drivetrain, the concept is reportedly capable of achieving fuel consumption as low as 3.76L/100km and CO2 emissions of 99g/km.

Yet the car will also reach 100km/h from a standing start within 4.8 seconds. That level of performance in such a frugal car is due to the sophisticated hybrid-drive system -- comprising a three-cylinder turbodiesel and an electric motor at the front, plus an additional electric motor mounted at the rear.

Set to go on sale sometime during 2014, the production version will draw on electrical power from a lithium-polymer battery. According to BMW, the battery can be recharged from a conventional household electrical outlet within two and a half hours. On electric power alone, the car boasts a range of 50km/h, and the 24-litre diesel fuel tank boosts that range to 700km/h.

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