It’s all starting to come along quickly now for BMW and its plug-in hybrids – series production of the X5 xDrive 40e kicks off next month, and now Munich has unveiled its next plug-in hybrid in the form of the 2 Series Active Tourer eDrive.
The new F45 derivative was presented in prototype form at Miramar, France, at the automaker’s Innovation Days 2015 event. The third iteration to feature eDrive plies a slightly different tack, going the front/transverse-mounted combustion engine route for the first time.
It’s kitted out with the familiar 136 hp and 220 Nm three-cylinder B38 1.5 litre BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol unit (as seen in the F45 218i Active Tourer), which drives the front wheels via a six-speed auto transmission, and this is partnered with a high-voltage generator mounted in the front structure and an 87 hp (65 kW) and 136 Nm electric motor powering the rear wheels via a two-speed transmission.
The result is road-linked all-wheel drive similar to that of the BMW i8 sports car, but arranged here in a mirror image. Three drive modes are present – Auto eDrive, Max eDrive (electric-only) and Save Battery.
As expected, the eDrive version is heavier than a regular 2AT – BMW says the plug-in weighs around 150 kg more than a corresponding 225i xDrive variant. Performance specifications include an all-electric operation range of up to 38 km, a 0-100 km/h time of 6.5 seconds and a 205 km/h top whack.
Fuel consumption is claimed to be approximately two litres per 100 km – which equates to CO2 emissions of under 50 g/km – in the EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles. According to the grapevine, series production of the 2AT eDrive is set for 2016.
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