The BMW 7-Series has got to be the only BMW with so many fuelling options available. You have your run of the mill petrol and diesel versions but there is also a Hydrogen 7 and now soon after Mercedes Benz’s S400 BlueHybrid car comes the BMW Concept 7-Series ActiveHybrid, based on the F01 BMW 7-Series.
The Concept 7-Series ActiveHybrid features the 750i’s 4.4 litre twin turbocharged V8 direct injection engine mated to a tiny electric motor producing 20 horsepower and 210Nm of torque. The electric motor is powered by a lithium ion battery stored beneath the luggage compartment and this is charged via a more potent version of BMW’s Brake Energy Regeneration system.
This concept also marks the debut of BMW’s upcoming 8-speed automatic transmission by ZF. The electric motor is integrated into this transmission’s housing.
Some other details on the concept hybrid car include the use of LED lighting for the foglamps. The car’s foglamps consist of LEDs arranged vertically in two rows on each side of the car. The side profile features large 20 inch alloy wheels while the rear end features an unusual tailpipe design that is wide and flat.
Anyone who buys this car is not going to realistically imagine he’d be getting excellent fuel economy out of what is essentially still a 4.4 litre twin turbocharged monster. The fuel-economy conscious 7-Series buyer will still go for the 730d. This is basically just a way to take Brake Energy Regeneration a step further and convert wasted braking energy into a little more horsepower and torque.
Look after the jump for a hi-res gallery of the car.
PHOTO GALLERY: BMW Concept 7-Series ActiveHybrid
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo
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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.
haha tiny electric motor… i wonder what’s the range in this monster if it’s in electric mode only… probably a few centimetres… haha.. in my opinion, if they truly care about the environment, they should couple the electric motor with the 730d model. not the gaz guzzling model like this one.. oh, i forgot… there were some fool in GM did put an electric motor into giant SUVs… just to show how much they ‘care’ for the environment… stupid american… probably this 7series model will sell the most in the US.. in the ‘environmentally concern’ market…
Practically Pointless……..
yeah… once Lexus came out with LS600H then merc and bmw are scrambling to come out their. Who is the follower and who is the leader now?.
This clearly show the German seriously feel the thread from the Jap.
If the LS is no good they wouldnt worry about it……
8 speed gearbox is old news now. It has been in the LS for the past 2 years.
Merc still harping about 7G….wake up,….. they even go further to put a badge on the back of their car…… it is like Nissan 120Y in the 70′s which has 5 Speed badge in the back.
Then again all this doesn’t matter cos the Badge is greater than sum of all component put together to make the car.
its not purely hybrid please.
there’s still the 4.4 liter turbocharged engine. add in a little electric motor and you call it hybrid?
PUI! still damaging the environment and polluting.
come out with a pure electric please.
Up to this moment, all the hybrid car is a gimmick. In fact Toyota is using this technique to fool consumers and it is a success.
hydrogen is much better