BMW has taken its hybrid technology a giant step further with this stunning concept, the Vision EfficientDynamics due to be launched at the Frankfurt auto show.
The brief was to combine the performance of an M-car and dramatic 2+2 sports-car design with the fuel consumption – and emissions – of a small hatch. It was developed from the ground up as a plug-in hybrid with an electric motor on each axle to deliver all-wheel drive – 262kW and 800Nm of it!
A 1.5-litre turbodiesel that delivers 80kW and 290Nm drives the rear wheels through a six-speed double-clutch gearbox in tandem with a 38kW/290Nm electric motor on the rear axle, which can be boosted to 38kW for a short period
There´s also a 60kW/220Nm electric motor driving the front axle through a two-stage, single-speed gearbox, which is capable of 104kW for 10 seconds. The car can run on either pure diesel or electric power or any combination of the two.
Each electric motor also functions as a generator on the overrun and under braking, converting energy that would otherwise be wasted as heat in the brakes into electricity to charge the car´s 98 lithium-polymer batteries. Using all the power available, BMW quotes 0-100km/h acceleration in 4.8sec and an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h, using only 3.76 litres/100km and emitting 99g/km of CO2. It can also drive 50km on battery power only.
The Vision is 4.6m long, 1.9m wide and only 1.24m high. It weighs 1395kg and runs on 21″ rims. Its futuristic body was shaped using Formula 1 technology to reduce drag to only 0.22 and clear polycarbonate inserts in the roof and doors darken as the day gets brighter.
The gull-wing doors are balanced to make opening and closing them a one-finger operation and open at an angle for ease of access to front and rear seats. The interior demonstrates the latest technology but is finished as far as possible with natural materials to underline BMW´s commitment to sustainability.
(Source: IOL)
The liveeco team
