The second BMW X6 Concept shown at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show demonstrates BMW’s ActiveHybrid technology, which BMW says is superior to conventional hybrid vehicles in terms of driving dynamics – looking at the assortment of hybrids on the market today we can safely say that’s not too far from the truth. BMW rates an ActiveHybrid car as having 20% better consumption and emissions compared to a comparable car with conventional drivetrain technology.
The BMW Concept X6 ActiveHybrid combines a combustion engine and two electric motors. Keeping to their promise of a sporty driving experience, BMW says despite electric motors being used BMW retains the appropriate touch-based and acoustic feedback never seen before on a hybrid vehicle.
The combustion engine and two electric motors are connected to each other via three planetary gearsets, allowing a power split between the combustion engine and electric motors in two ranges. At any time, the car can be powered by either only the combustion engine or only the electric motors. The Concept X6 ActiveHybrid also uses an ECVT electrical continuously variable transmission and is able to adjust power between the combustion engine and the electric motors in two ranges – one for low speeds and one for high speeds. Power to the wheels also go through a fixed ratios as BMW thinks this is very important for the whole driving experience – the feeling of swapping cogs.
The electric motors can also be run in reverse to harvest wasted power during braking. This power is used to charge a high-volt energy storage unit. BMW is already doing something like this with Brake Energy Regeneration, something that’s appearing on conventional combustion engine BMWs in the European market.
In power split drive mode, one of the electric motors acts as a generator, converting some of the engine’s power into electrical current to charge the capacitors. The power can also be channeled into the second electric motor. This second electric motor gets power from either the first electric motor or the capacitor and generates mechanical power for the output drive shaft.
The ActiveHybrid hybrid drive system is BMW’s variant of the Global Hybrid Cooperation hybrid system, a joint project between BMW, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler to develop next generation hybrid drive systems.
More photos after the jump.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
i love the neon strip along the x6 boot.
very nice touch .
the lighting is cool… but if u think environmentally to the finest details, they are sort of consume energy unnecesarily…
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DtG said,
September 14, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
the lighting is cool… but if u think environmentally to the finest details, they are sort of consume energy unnecesarily…
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Agreed. And driving a large vehicle unnecessarily also consumes energy err.. unnecessarily.
lol…i would buy this car just for the neon lights….active hybrid what?? screw that! LOLZ!
Like Gen2…it really need a rear spoiler or it looks like sumthin missing
gen 2 ur head, don insult it, its beautiful unlike the crappy gen 2
After digging a bit on Internet, I’ve finally found the info that details the BMW active hybrid technology.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/2060428.011/manufacturers-develop-ecvt-for-hybrids
http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=11743
goto the links and you’ll be able to see the 2 electric motors inside the transmission. Note the confusing term ECVT is not really the pulley system that we normally see in a CVT of a small car.
There is no torque converter in this gearbox. instead, the electric motor puts in the initial grunt so that the engine is not stalled and is more efficient. Finally, the electricity is stored in capacitors, not batteries.
Hope this answers some question that was not really asked in the first place. hehe…
lets see what AC Schnitzer can do to this X6….
come on BMW, build this beast!!
Accept it… that crappy Gen.2 aspired this X6. Shoo..shoo…copycat!!
muahahaaaa…
now with more pics with diff angle of the X6, im even more conviced that it looks like GEN 2! unbelievable…
Yes…look like Gen2,mid90s Mazda Lantis/Ford Lynx….etc etc..Ford Capri(flower power era..) technology wise..BMW is very much ahead..
very very beautifull i hope mount bmw activehybride7