BMW Reveals Hybrid Flagship and Crossover

BMW recently released tantalizing details concerning its new hybrid vehicle program. The German company’s initial effort consists of a dual attack that features a full-size SUV and a full-size sedan which have been adapted to use a gasoline / electric drivetrain. The BMW X6 ActiveHybrid and the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 combine the ultimate in creature comforts with astonishing amounts of horsepower and improved fuel mileage when compared to their conventionally-powered cousins.

The BMW X6 ActiveHybrid challenges standard notions of how a crossover hybrid should perform. The vehicle, which has polarized BMW fans due to its enormous heft and startlingly swept proportions, is able to overcome its ponderous weight with the greatest of ease. This is thanks to the combination of two electric motors with a 4.4-liter V-8 engine fed by twin turbochargers. In total, the BMW hybrid system produces 480 horsepower and an astonishing 575 lb-ft of torque, which will make it the most powerful hybrid on the road when it goes on sale towards the end of 2009 as a 2010 model. The electric motors aren’t just for show – in addition to greening the X6 by lowering its fuel consumption by 20 percent, they also add almost 200 horsepower to the total equation. A 7-speed transmission sends that massive torque to all four wheels, allowing the X6 to sprint to 60 miles per hour in just 5.4 seconds.

Continuing the ‘bigger is better’ trend at BMW when it comes to hybrids, the new 7 Series electric vehicle also features plus-size power in a plus-size package. The vehicle uses a 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V-8 engine that is very similar to that found under the hood of the X6. However, the ActiveHybrid 7 differs from its gasoline / electric brother in some important respects, most notably in terms of its hybrid architecture. The 7 Series employs a mild hybrid system that only contributes modest power to the vehicle’s output, along with additional torque. It does, however, provide power for almost all of the BMW’s accessories as well as improve fuel mileage by 15 percent compared to the 750Li. The electric drivetrain was developed in conjunction with Mercedes-Benz.

Despite a smaller role in the overall driving experience, the hybrid system combined with the 4.4-liter engine in the ActiveHybrid 7 is still powerful enough to offer buyers a very spirited 455 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque (preliminary figures). This allows the uber-sedan to hit 60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds, a figure which should be able to ignite the passions of environmentally-conscious car enthusiasts. The 7 Series also features an automatic transmission with one more forward gear than that which is found in the X6, making 8 in total. The ActiveHybrid 7 will reach showrooms at around the same time as the crossover.

BMW plans on rolling out a full-fledged hybrid and alternative energy fleet, with more product debuts and information to be released during the course of the Frankfurt auto show, which is just around the corner. The choice to break radio silence and reveal two of its most prestigious hybrids prior to the main event indicates that the company is feeling confident about its corporate fuel economy strategy and green policy.