BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid

Motoring Channel Staff - 3/October/2008

Paris, France — The low emissions penny has dropped for a lot of car makers in the last couple of years, BMW included.

The German car maker has showcased it's latest response to reducing CO2 emissions at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.

Using its flagship luxury limousine as a base, the 7 Series finally gets a hybrid system to rival the Lexus LS 600hL. 

But don't get too excited - this is a concept car for now (a production model is expected next year).

Electric and hybrid petrol-electric cars will be 'bridges' between the current combustion engine and zero emission powertrains.

Hydrogen cars are still too expensive and decades away from mass production, and BMW seems to have accepted this fact by showing off a 'mild hybrid concept' instead of another hydrogen vehicle.

The German car maker says the BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid will deliver a 15% increase in fuel efficiency over the BMW 750i's regular twin turbo V8 engine.

BMW's new attempt at a hybrid vehicle comes across as a bit half-hearted (there are other ways to achieve 15% fuel reductions in modern engines), but the move towards a production hybrid is nevertheless a positive thing, 'mild hybrid' or not.

In the past BMW has concentrated on hydrogen technology, but with automotive battery technology improving rapidly and battery companies being bought up left, right and centre by car companies such as Nissan, General Motors and Ford, electric cars will very much be a part of the automotive landscape.

"In typical BMW style, this new concept car combines a significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions with a standard of driving dynamics never seen before even in this class of hybrid cars," said Guenther Seemann, Managing Director of BMW Group Australia.

What Mr Seemann neglected to mention was that it is almost a decade late to the hybrid party. Gambling on hydrogen power could hurt the car maker's foray into hybrid automotion, but time will tell the real tale.

Vital statistics of the new 7 Series hybrid, which is virtually guaranteed to reach production in the next 12 months, include an adapted 4.4-litre biturbo V8. 

Augmented with an 210Nm electric motor and "high-performance lithium-ion battery" the BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid achieves lower fuel consumption than its 750i stablemate.

The battery is located in the luggage compartment, so like the Lexus LS600hL boot space will be constricted. 

The electric motor replaces the alternator and starter system, and is integrated in the transmission housing. It adds 15kW of power and 210Nm of torque to the 4.4-litre V8's already impressive 300kW and 600Nm, which will give it a performance edge at full throttle.

BMW says that by using Brake Energy Regeneration, the electric motor supplies electric power to the power-consuming items on board the car (stereo, air-conditioning etc.) minimising the direct conversion of fuel into electrical energy and maximising the drive power available for enhanced driving dynamics.

Styling has been enhanced by the addition of 20-inch light-alloy rims and a Blue Water metallic paintwork, which is a signature colour for BMW's maximum-efficiency concept cars.

At the rear of the BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid an additional air guidance element made of aluminium and exhaust tailpipes with new contours symbolise and round off the innovative drive concept.

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