BMW is getting serious about petrol-electric power, and Auto Express was among the first to drive its ActiveHybrid 5. So can the newcomer make a solid case against the company’s impressive diesel models?
BMW has taken the 535i’s 302bhp 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine and ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and combined them with a 54bhp electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack. The result is total power output of 335bhp, and 450Nm of torque. The ActiveHybrid 5 has two drive modes: pure electric and a parallel ‘boost’ mode in which the petrol and electric motors are both in use.
Pure electric is only for slow-speed work, as the range is limited: BMW says an average speed of 22mph will allow you to travel around three miles, while the maximum speed is approximately 45mph. Any higher and the drivetrain will switch to the second mode.
The ActiveHybrid 5 swaps seamlessly between these set-ups, while there’s also a battery-recharging phase during descents and under braking. Graphics that show how well or poorly you’re doing are displayed on the iDrive screen, as well as in the centre instrument cluster.
Put the ActiveHybrid 5 in Sport+ mode and you’ll access the total power output. That gives a claimed 0-62mph time of a mere 5.9 seconds, matching the petrol 535i SE’s acceleration.
In normal mode, the ActiveHybrid 5 isn’t quite as rapid as there’s no extra battery power – we would estimate the 0-62mph time to be around 7.5 seconds. To maximise economy, the ActiveHybrid 5 debuts BMW’s Intelligent Energy Management software as part of the optional Navigation Professional system. This reads the road ahead and reacts accordingly, selecting which
mode will be most efficient for the cleanest driving possible.
The hybrid claims to emit 16 per cent less CO2 than the 535i SE and improve economy by around 12 per cent. This means emissions as low as 149g/km with average returns of up to 44mpg when driving in the most frugal EcoPro mode.
Efficiency also depends on which wheels and tyres you go for. The ActiveHybrid 5 comes with 17-inch low-resistance tyres as standard, but our test car featured optional 18-inch Streamline alloy wheels. On the larger wheels over Portugal’s undulating coastal terrain, the best we achieved was 30.1mpg. In a 535d diesel we would expect to be getting nearer 40mpg in regular driving.
There’s another extra cost – reduced practicality. The lithium-ion battery pack is positioned over the rear axle, adding 140kg to the weight of the 5 Series. Unfortunately, the pack reduces luggage space to 375 litres – a drop of 145 litres. On top of this, the rear seats no longer fold down, as the battery pack nestles between the cargo area and the bench.
The other major challenge is the price: the ActiveHybrid 5 faces an uphill battle as, at £46,860, it costs six per cent more than the 535d and 20 per cent more than the 535i SE on which it’s based. By comparison the 535d is £44,290, and it’s faster in the real world and more economical, too.
Even so, the ActiveHybrid 5 is well executed with typical BMW attention to detail. It provides the best hybrid experience so far from Germany’s premium brands.
Disqus - noscript
Yet again the hybrid clone seems pointless compared to both the petrol and the diesel sibblings. It is heavier, space restricted and only marginally more efficient than the petrol version. 0-62 in 5.9 seconds but only when the batteries are charged, it means next stoplight or the one after better keep your head down. So what is the point again? The US market where diesels are a no-no option?
It's made in Europe and it's a BMW with a propeller badge. Says it all really. BMWs are so wonderful you wonder why they don't run on water and turn it into wine. Or run 100 miles at 100mph on a single AA lithium battery,
So, it's dearer, slower, less practical and more complicated. Great advert for new technologies there guys.
Why aren't car makers pursuing the diesel hybrid route? Surely that is the best of both worlds? I'm sure there are technical issues to overcome, but whatever they are, their solution would lead to a more practical longer-lived alternative.
it's all great. till you get to the rims. and AE is right, why buy this when the diesel is so much better.
Totally agree with you, POINTLESS.
Why stick a hybrid with a big 3 litre fuel guzzling petrol engine, doesn't really make much sense. It doesn't really make this car a green car at all. A waste of technology if you ask me. Now had they used BMW's great diesel engine instead.......
Oh well, i'm sure that won't bother the suit wearing tycoon who walks into a showroom hands up and buys one. Hope these new BMW's come with indicators..
Can`t see the point, if BMW wants to be seen as green then dont manufacture big engined gas guzzling cars! My 520d was all you need in todays traffic. BMW would have been better spending the money producing a paint finish which can resist Bird Poo for a couple of days, mine was unattended for five days and suffered an estimated £1,242:00 worth of damage.
There is no real reason why a hybrid should be any more economical on the open road than a pure petrol-engined car, when it will get hammered in consumption terms by a diesel. Where they have an advantage is if you are doing a lot of city or stop-start mileage, when the hybrid part is doing what it's designed to, ie storing energy from braking. The rest of the time, you're just hauling around a pile of heavy batteries that aren't doing anything useful. That's why road testers always get crap mileage, as they spend their time hooning around B roads. That's not what hybrids are designed for. Of course, it would be more honest of the manufacturers to mention that their economy figures can only be matched in specific conditions, and that hybrid is a waste of money if you spend your time on motorways and clear roads