BMW is previewing their first Diesel Hybrid at the Geneva autoshow. It is an X5 SUV based vehicle with some interesting features like a solar panel to preheat your tranny fluid on startups, etc.
Click the BMW X5 concept for a high res gallery
After having information leaked yesterday, BMW has now officially released the details surrounding its
Geneva Motor Show concept, the Vision EfficientDynamics. The X5-based concept does indeed combine the 204hp 2.0L twin-turbo diesel from the 123d with a mild hybrid system. The hybrid setup uses a 15kW motor and a lithium-ion battery pack to yield a total output of 221hp. The engine/motor output is routed to all four wheels through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and BMW's xDrive torque vectoring all-wheel-drive. Regenerative braking charges the battery, which is then used to help power electrical systems on the vehicle, reducing parasitic losses. Further savings are achieved through a 1-square-meter solar panel on the roof that preheats the transmission fluid, reducing friction during a cold start. After startup, the solar panel also helps power accessories, particularly during idle auto-stop conditions. Along with some aerodynamic tweaks, the concept achieves 36mpg (U.S.) on the EU combined cycle. Carbon dioxide emissions come in at 172g/km while 0-62mph acceleration of the 5,000 lb. X5 comes in at a respectable 8.9 seconds. The mild hybrid system developed in cooperation with Daimler may appear in production BMWs in 2009, although it's unknown if this particular combination will get built.
[Source: BMW]
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