![]() So, the debate is whether a BMW ActiveHybrid 5 is necessarily a better car than the already brilliant petrol 535i or the understated and powerful super-efficient 535d diesel. The hybrid electronics in the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 are linked up with the standard-fitted navigation system – this allows forward-looking analysis of the driving situation, enabling the drive components to be primed to deliver maximum efficiency (in other words the car “reads” the road ahead and primes it to the optimum settings). Having mentioned the aim to balance weight earlier – it would be even better if advances can make electric motors and batteries lighter, as this car is quoted at a kerb weight of 1925kg, which is 150kg heavier than the 535i, deleting some of the performance and efficiency advantage it would have had were it not for the extra kg’s.Ī console switch allows selection of Eco Pro mode – here the battery will recharge when the engine is on overrun (engine running, but the driver is off the accelerator pedal, such as when coasting downhill) and also during braking.Ī lengthy drive along beautifully landscaped roads proved that great performance and economy are not mutually exclusive. Performance? It accelerates the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds (a match for the sporty 535i) yet cuts average fuel consumption to between 6.4 and 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres and has CO2 emissions of just 149-163 g/km (depending on tyre format specified). In eBoost mode, the engine and full electric motor torque work together. The petrol engine then seamlessly and quietly starts when 60km/h is exceeded, or when more power is needed. To get moving, there is no engine start required – simply switch the car “on” for the electric motor to glide the 5 along in stealth mode. The electric motor and lithium-ion battery allow the ActiveHybrid 5 to be driven on electric power alone in eDrive mode at up to 60 km/h over a distance of 4km at a time, using zero fuel and emitting no exhaust gases, as the engine is not running – this takes the quite luxury accustomed to in a BMW 5 Series to a silent new level. The BMW ActiveHybrid drive system (engine plus electric motor) boosts that to a combined engine+electric output of 250 kW and 450Nm. This engine already produces 225kW and 400Nm, while also being an efficient and smooth powerplant. The 3-litre 6-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo engine from the 535i was a superb base to start on. The aim of the ActiveHybrid is to get the perfect triangle balance between performance, consumption and weight.Īnother disadvantage to buying this hybrid is the loss of some boot space – the standard 5 Series measures a big 520 litres, but in the hybrid the batteries take up your luggage space, dropping to 375 litres volume, and no option of fold-flat load-through rear seats, which both restrict practicality in a family executive sedan. ![]() All of which gives the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 an exceptional balance of performance and fuel economy for the premium executive car class. The latest generation of BMW ActiveHybrid technology also adds precisely controlled and thus extremely effective intelligent energy management to the mix. In Sport mode it even gives the same sporty gentle-kick gearshift as you’d find in other 5 Series.Īlthough the BMW hybrids have been available in other markets for a while, it now arrives in South Africa for the first time. ![]() To expand on that – the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 is the first hybrid car to be based on a petrol turbo-charged engine (BMW TwinPower Turbo) and the first to manage the neat trick of using a proper automatic gearbox, rather than the often annoying rev-hogging CVT transmissions used in abovementioned Japanese hybrids – BMW fortunately sticks to its sportiness by refusing the CVT (which would be just unimaginable in a BMW). How is this hybrid different? The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 brings together a unique combination of the best of high-techs: BMW TwinPower Turbo 6-cylinder in-line engine, an electric drive system, and an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Rather than cars like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight types, Lexus introduced us to the idea of a performance yet efficient hybrid car with its range of “h” cars.īMW then took the development of intelligent hybrid drive systems to the next level, when it introduced the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 – a model in which a combustion engine and electric motor join forces to enhance efficiency… while crucially retaining the brand's hallmark driving pleasure. We have seen the transformation from the green but dreary image of a hybrid car into a green and sporty image.
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