BMW’s Mild Hybrid Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid; Two BMW Hybrid Models to Be in Production in 2009
22 September 2008
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| Components of the Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid. Click to enlarge. |
BMW will introduce a mild-hybrid version of the 7 Series—the Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid—at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. (Earlier post.) The hybrid combines a V-8 gasoline engine with a 15 kW electric motor, eight-speed automatic transmission and a lithium-ion battery pack to deliver a 15% reduction in fuel consumption compared to a non-hybrid version of the car.
BMW has already recently introduced several other hybrid concepts, including the two-mode Concept X6 ActiveHybrid (earlier post) and the diesel mild hybrid concept BMW Vision EfficientDynamics (earlier post). BMW says that it is developing hybrid technology along various lines for various vehicle segments, and that pursuant to this strategy, two models with BMW ActiveHybrid technology will be reaching production level in 2009.
The mild hybrid components developed for the Concept 7 Series hybrid are based on technology created by BMW and Daimler in their cooperation on hybrid drive systems. (Earlier post.) The 7 Series mild hybrid functions include start-stop, drive assist and regenerative braking.
The V-8 engine in the hybrid is based on the production unit in the 750i, a Twin Turbo and High Precision Injection engine developing 300 kW (407 hp) of power, with peak torque of 600 Nm (442 lb-ft).
The two turbochargers are fitted directly in the V-section of the engine, with each unit supplying four cylinders with compressed air to support quick response to the accelerator pedal. High Precision Injection is the second generation of direct gasoline injection introduced by BMW incorporating piezo-injectors fitted in the cylinder head directly next to the spark plugs and delivering fuel to the combustion chambers at a pressure of 200 bar.
The electric motor is fully integrated in the transmission housing, and develops maximum output of 15 kW/20 hp and peak torque of 210 Nm (155 lb-ft).
The range of functions already driven electrically today in BMW’s production models extends from the ventilation and air conditioning units through the lights, entertainment, navigation and communication systems all the way to the coolant pump and servo motors for dynamic driving systems such as Dynamic Damper Control featured as standard on the BMW 7 Series.
The BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid uses electrical energy to an even higher degree for additional functions beyond the power provided by the electric motor in support of the car’s primary drive system. A 120V on-board network serves to meet further purposes and requirements, operating in parallel to the conventional 12V network powered by an AGM lead-acid battery.
Will this be a green muscle car?
Posted by: HarveyD | 22 September 2008 at 03:41 PM
BMWs are(or were) sold as the "ultimate driving machine": however, they cannot go through the car in front in a traffic jam, and this is where the electric motors score - crawling through traiifc.
The trick is to increase (model by model / year by year) the amount of city driving you can do on electricity, so that you just use the ICE on clear road driving.
They have the margin on the cars they sell, so they should be able to do it - next we have to figure how to get it on Ford Focuses - that would be a task worth pursuing.
Posted by: mahonj | 22 September 2008 at 03:44 PM
Does anyone know anything about the electrically driven A/C on the current series 7 cars from the below quote?:
"The range of functions already driven electrically today in BMW’s production models extends from the ventilation and air conditioning units through the lights, entertainment, navigation and communication systems all the way to the coolant pump and servo motors for dynamic driving systems such as Dynamic Damper Control featured as standard on the BMW 7 Series."
It seems running the auxiliary systems that cause parasitic losses would help all models of BMW as well as any brand.
Posted by: steve | 22 September 2008 at 04:02 PM
Electric assist power steering and electric AC could help and might have been behind the push to make cars 42v a while back. The losses from V belts is a waste. The AC is on the belt, clutched out and wasting fuel even when not used.
Posted by: sjc | 22 September 2008 at 09:29 PM
Nice to see BMW finally catching up to Mitsubishi with the turbocharged gasoline direct injection coming only 8 years after Mitsubishi's production 2.0L 4 cyl motor.
Posted by: | 22 September 2008 at 09:37 PM
Wow , are we supposed to be impressed that they are only 10 years behind on their technology now?
Where is the BEV they could be making?
Posted by: John Taylor | 23 September 2008 at 01:10 AM
The Germans do prefer lithium-ion over NiMH.
Posted by: clett | 23 September 2008 at 01:56 AM
BMW got hung up on the "Ultimate Driving Machine" ICE driven thing and went and developed the Hydrogen ICE engine which was a crazy idea if ever there was one.
That is where their BEV has gone - now they are playing catch up.
Their ICE technology is second to none, and they can enhance efficiency with their "Efficient Dynamics" program, and eventually hybridize the drivetrain.
I think they are deeply in love with their ICEs and find it hard to give them up.
From one angle, a battery powered BMW is hard to imagine, from another, it makes perfect sense. It just has to be good to drive - maybe they could tweek the torque curves or something to make it more fun and involving.
They can benchmark against the Tesla and other e-performance cars. The batteries are only now becoming available so they haven't lost that much time.
Posted by: mahonj | 23 September 2008 at 03:10 AM
IMO, BMW should be in love with their chasis/suspension. I am yet to find another car that has the "feel" of a BMW: controlled, confident, communicative, but yet refined. No bull, the real deal.
Example: competitors to the current 7 series, S550, Audi A8, Lexus LS460, either feel numb (S550+LS460) or they feel plain out unstable (you can feel the road in the A8 but the car rocks about quite a bit). The 7 is just flat solid.
IMO, BMW should have added DOD to this engine. Why not? I mean they've already got the VANOS system. No reason they can't abuse it and turn half the cylinders off.
Posted by: GreenPlease | 23 September 2008 at 05:05 AM
> this is where the electric motors score - crawling through traiifc.
These are mild hybrids, so do not have electric-only mode.
No information on fuel economy, so yes, just a psuedo-green muscle car...
Posted by: Will S | 23 September 2008 at 06:34 AM
An overweight, cramped, polluting pig of a car. But one that has advances like "electic A/C, and an "electric water pump" and "electric fuel pump". Whoop-de-doo.
If an announcement like this was issued by a Detroit manufacturer, the self-loathing, anti-American haters would be out in the hundreds, castigating the idiotic announcement and the idiots without a clue, who are in charge...
In reality, it is a very small step toward better efficiency, and to be acknowledged; but it's only a very tiny step.
Posted by: stas peterson | 24 September 2008 at 11:01 AM
BMW is seen in a better light than the pathetic Detriot brands because it is well engineered. Yes - this is a bloated gas hog but BMW has been pushing efficiency for awhile now. They haven't pushed out performance which is the easiest way to greater MPG but they do try. BMW does have concept EVs, and it has hydrogen cars in fleet use. Its ICEs are remarkably efficient. Compare performance cars side by side and BMW blows away the competition on MPG.
Posted by: | 25 September 2008 at 02:18 AM
To those that are commenting that this vehicle (and the Mercedes S400) are gas guzzling pigs then I ask you to think again about why BMW might choose this as their first vehicle for this mild-hybrid system...
Component costs (particularly for the lithium ion battery pack) is still very high and would not be achievable in a 1- or 3-series. BMW have proven out many technologies over the years at the top end and then these have trickled-down to the lower models due to the learning they have from the less cost sensitive high-end models. It's a clever approach and one that is likely to result in this technology being applied to 1- and 3-series gasoline and diesel within the next few years. And when it's on a 120d (current FC = 4.8l/100km which is 50mpg US) we'll finally have a car that offers 60+ MPG (US).
Posted by: Eeyrs | 29 October 2008 at 06:59 AM
they should have put the 3.0 diesel in there, would have been such a better match.
Posted by: philmcneal | 14 March 2009 at 02:51 PM