BMW's upcoming 7 Series ActiveHybrid (where do they come up with these names, anyway?) will use a 120 volt lithium ion battery pack that will be supplied by Johnson Controls-Saft. That battery will be assembled at the Johnson Controls-Saft production facility in Nersac, France. BMW will place the lithium ion battery in the trunk, while a BMW standard-fare 12 volt Absorbent Glass Mat battery will reside under its hood. This is the same heavy duty battery already used in BMWs with brake energy regeneration. While BMW's 7 Series shares hybrid technology with the new Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid, that uber-sedan will use a 120 volt battery supplied by Continental that will be placed under the hood where the normal lead-acid battery would go. Mercedes has opted to use a single battery configuration with a step down to supply the usual 12V accesories. These two big machines will go up against each other for hybrid luxury car supremacy sometime next year.

[Source: Johnson Controls]

Do you enjoy watching stars on the red carpet? Well, BMW thinks that they can help make the stars' appearance a little greener than if they arrived in a stretched limo (even if it's hybrid). Last year BMW chose the event to promote its Hydrogen 7 flagship, but this year BMW has announced a full "fleet of models fitted with EfficientDynamics" to drive around movie starts and politicians. As we know, this name denotes a combination of the Bavarian marque's techniques to lower fuel consumption. According to BMW Italia's press release, when 2008 ends, BMW will have saved enough fuel to power a city like Geneva, Switzerland, for one year. Not sure how they arrived at that tidbit, but there it is.

[Source: BMW Italia]

BMW is launching a refreshed version of its mainstream 3-Series sedan this fall with tweaked front and rear styling. On the mechanical side, we already know about the coming 3.0L dual turbo diesel for the U.S. market. One other change that's coming is the addition of a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The sports automatic transmissions, as BMW calls them, debuted on the M3 earlier this year and now join the 335i Coupe and Convertible models. The automated shifting of the DCT provides a slight 0.1 second improvement in 0-62 mph acceleration while also providing a five percent reduction in fuel consumption compared to the previous 6-speed automatic. The convertible now has a combined rating of 25.8 mpg (U.S.) while the coupe is up to 26.7 mpg (U.S.). Now, if they would just offer up the DCT with the new diesel, we'd have a killer combination.

[Source: BMW]

BMW has won an ÖkoGlobe award for the second straight year. The award was presented to the Bavarian automaker for its work on a thermoelectric generator. Um, what's that? Basically, using a process known as the Seebeck effect, electricity can be generated by a difference in temperatures. All right, fine... who cares? Under the hood of every car ever sold that has an internal combustion engine, a huge amount of heat is generated while the engine creates power to drive the vehicle. In fact, only about a quarter of all the energy released by the fuel's combustion is utilized in even the most efficient engines. Therefore, there is a great source of untapped energy already in each car on the road. BMW's researchers and engineers would love to tap into that unused energy with a thermoelectric generator, which could help capture some of that potential energy in the form of electricity that could then help power either the car directly or at least some of its peripheral systems. Very cool, and we hope something good comes from the research.

[Source: BMW]

We won't have any official details on what will be powering the electric MINIs that we know will be prowling the streets next year until the vehicle is unveiled at the LA Auto Show later this year. That doesn't mean that we can't all speculate until then, right? We've seen spy shots of test vehicles (minus tail-pipes) on the road and we've seen some engine-less MINI carcasses coming out of the Oxford plant in England. While we can't pinpoint what type of battery or electric motor(s?) the car will come with, we may be able to rule a few things out. For instance, an inside source has reportedly told EVO that the Bavarian parents of the MINI brand have been testing both lithium ion batteries and hub-mounted electric motors with unsatisfactory results. So, it won't look like this. Will the cars get a nickel metal hydride battery or a Zebra battery like the current electric smart? Not sure. Any thoughts?

[Source: EVO]

BMW has released more details on the 7-Series Activehybrid that will be debuting in Paris next month. We now know a few elements that differ from the Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid. While the Mercedes has the lithium ion battery mounted in the engine compartment, the BMW has its battery in the trunk. The BMW also one-ups the Benz in the transmission department with an 8-speed automatic. The power electronics module is mounted under the floor of the trunk. BMW claims the ActiveHybrid 7 wil get a 15 percent reduction in fuel consumption and emissions compared to the standard 750i. The use of the hybrid motor as the alternator turns out to be more efficient than a conventional belt driven unit. The electrical power output during regenerative braking is ten times what can be achieved from a standard alternator without the parasitic losses. While the Mercedes uses only the 120V lithium ion battery to provide all electrical power to the vehicle, the BMW retains the same 12V Absorbent Glass Mat batteries used in other BMWs with brake energy regeneration. The 7-series hybrid uses the 120V electrical network in parallel with the 12V network to drive accessory systems ranging from the air conditioning to the adaptive damping. You can read all about it here.


[Source: BMW]

After revealing the new generation 7-series earlier this summer, BMW will be showing off the full lineup at the Paris Motor Show including the hybrid version. We knew a 7-series hybrid was coming soon but it had been thought the 7 would use the same Two-Mode hybrid system that will go into the X6. Instead, AutoCar is reporting that the big luxury sedan will use the mild hybrid system that BMW has developed with Daimler. While Mercedes-Benz will pair up the 20 hp electric motor with a 3.5L V6, BMW will use the new twin turbocharged and direct injected 4.4L V8 that debuted earlier this year in the X6. The base engine is rated at 407 hp and 442 lb-ft. The 7-Series hybrid is expected to get a bit over 23 mpg (U.S.) combined which would put at least on a par with the strong hybrid Lexus LS600h. Like the Mercedes hybrid sedan, BMW will use a 120V lithium ion battery mounted under hood, replacing the conventional lead acid battery. In combination with a 10:1 step down, the lithium battery will provide power to all the vehicle's electrical systems and since it can be charged via regenerative braking, it will reduce parasitic losses. The 7-Series ActiveHybrid should go on sale about a year from now.

[Source: AutoCar]

Have you ever traveled around with a plug adapter for different wall sockets? The need for a car version of these adapters, albeit in a much larger scale, is what BMW's Klaus Draeger and Daimler's Thomas Weber discussed at the 2008 World Automotive Congress of FISITA, the international association of automotive engineers. Both said that the EV technology, vital if we want to curb CO₂ emissions, could be so expensive that single automakers might not be able to cope with its cost. They also called for industry-wide component standards for suppliers early in the research and development phases to prevent duplication of effort for major components such as electrical vehicle batteries. FISITA itself, like the IEEE for the electronic industry, could be an ideal framework for the harmonization of pollution regulations and technical standards.

[Source: Automotive News Europe (subs. req'd)]

We've heard consistent rumors since last year that BMW was considering entering the tiny car market with a new electric car. This entire time, BMW was to decide on the fate of the city EV by the end of the year, and it seems that they have. BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer has confirmed that the Bavarian automaker will indeed go smaller, though we are not so sure it will wear the blue and white badge. Rather, the new vehicle could wear the Isetta badge made popular on microcars from the past. "It'll be a car with a completely new look, with two engines available. One will be a very efficient combustion engine and the other will be a purely electric model," says Reithofer. Speculation is that the electric model will get over 200 miles per charge. We don't know what internal combustion engine is slated for the Isetta, but BMW has plenty of experience with small and efficient engines from its Motorrad division. We like the way this is going.

[Source: Autocar]

BMW's North American CEO, Jim O'Donnel has ended the rumors of a new BMW four-cylinder engine option. It's true. And it sounds great. Not only will the new turbocharged engine outperform the current inline-six, it will get better fuel mileage and produce fewer emissions. Perfect! When is it coming? Could be soon for Europe. The United States, though, reportedly won't learn its fate until the upcoming Presidential election is complete. Um, sorry... what?

You're telling us all about this great new engine and how it's going to outperform the current engines, and then tell us that you'll only bring it here if the Feds force you to? That doesn't sound so good, especially for an automaker that is so proud of its "Most Sustainable" title. If the automaker has a good engine, we want it. It really is just that simple, and this includes those great diesels we've been taunted with.

[Source: BimmerFile]

Time for a new "green" award for BMW: SAM Group announced that the Bavarian marque got its fourth-in-a-row Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) award. According to BMW, this new award certifies that they're the most sustainable automaker in the world. How did DJSI make the selection? According to their website, they analyzed "corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, branding, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards and labor practices."

If you want the complete list of the winners into the 19 categories, here you go: adidas (Personal & Household Goods), Air France-KLM (Travel & Leisure), ANZ Banking Group (Banks), BASF (Chemicals), BMW (Automobiles), BT Group (Telecommunications), ENI (Oil & Gas), Grupo Iberdrola (Utilities), Holcim (Construction & Materials), Intel (Technology), Investimentos Itau (Financial Services), Kingfisher (Retail), Land Securities (Real Estate), Novartis (Health Care), Pearson (Media), Swiss Re (Insurance), TNT (Industrial Goods & Services), Unilever (Food & Beverage), and Xstrata (Basic Resources).

[Source: BMW, DJSI]

For the past several years, BMW hasn't sold any vehicles in the United States with fewer than six cylinders. With BMW scaling back production of V8 and inline six engines, is the time approaching when four-cylinder Bimmers will return to our shores? Inside Line definitely seems to think the four banger will be back soon, probably in the 3-series and 1-series. The European spec 120i and 320i both use a normally aspirated, direct injected 2.0L that produces 167 hp and pushes a 320i from 0-62 mph in a respectable 8.2 seconds. The 320i is rated at 38.6 mpg (U.S.) on the EU combined cycle, which would probably amount to mileage in the low 30s on the EPA cycle. BMW project director Oliver Friedmann told Inside Line while the gas four cylinders could do well in the U.S. he didn't think Americans were ready for the the four cylinder diesel in the 123d and 320d. Personally, having driven the 123d I'd have to disagree on this count. I think that Americans would actually prefer the superior torque of the diesel and a real world 37 mpg. BMW hasn't yet responded to a request for comment from ABG.

[Source: inside Line]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 BMW 3-Series

BMW's Efficient Dynamics program has prompted the Bavarian automaker to add fuel-saving technologies to its line of vehicles. Most of the changes have been made first to the most fuel efficient models, including the adoption of stop/start technology. By bringing the engine to a stop instead of letting it idle away, a huge improvement can be realized, especially in city-style stop-and-go driving conditions. So far, all of the models to be so equipped have featured four-cylinder engines underhood. No longer. BMW will soon be waving its stop/start wand over its excellent inline six-cylinder engines.

Expect to see the stop/start make its first six cylinder appearance in the 3 Series. A bit later on down the line, the technology will spread across the entire brand's range of vehicles. Now that the United States may finally be getting four cylinder BMWs again, is it too much to ask for them to allow us to save some gas with the stop/start too? We'll see.


[Source: Channel 4]

The Grill of a Land Rover... a British cyclists worst nightmare?

Who are the worst drivers on the road? Hmm, we can think of a few... like women who apply mascara while driving, teens sending texts while driving, and, of course, those who have had a few too many drinks. But, what about labeling drivers by the type or brand of cars that they drive? That is exactly what has taken place in Britain, as cyclists who share the roads with the cagers have taken a vote to determine the worst of the worst. The winner, uh, we mean losers? Range Rover drivers. While we don't see all that many on our roadways in the United States, the original British 'utes must really be clogging the streets in the U.K., riding right on the back tires of the pedalers. Also coming up on the short list of bad drivers are drivers of white vans (color matters?), followed by smug BMW drivers and elderly drivers who move too slowly, even for cyclists apparently. Comments?

[Source: What Car?]

In many parts of the world, the majority of BMWs are sold with four cylinder engines running on either gasoline or diesel. Unfortunately in recent years American consumers have not had the privilege of opting for these powerplants. That's a situation that may soon change though as BMW begins a significant shift in production to smaller engines. The company has already dropped the 6.0L V12 from the lineup in the new 7-series that's coming to the U.S. next spring. Demand for V8 engines in Europe has plummeted recently, leading BMW to scale back production to only one four-day-a-week shift.

Even the inline six cylinders that have long been the icon of BMW engines are seeing slackening demand. The Munich engine plant that produces them will be switched over to four cylinders beginning in 2011. As engines get ever higher specific output due to technologies like direct injection and turbocharging, the need for larger engines is fading and we may see four cylinders back in U.S.-bound BMWs soon.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]