Hope for those concerned about fuel economy - Hybrid E70 in 12 months
 

Hybrid X5 in next 12 months.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/08/...hin-12-months/

Hybrid...

Why join a consortium, why not just license the technology from Toyota? Unless Toyota is charging an arm and leg, which may be the case theyre just blowing cash imo.

Because the Toyota system, while achieving reasonable production levels, isn't particularly efficient. That doesn't imply that Toyota is standing still, but what they are selling today is pretty much a standard IC powertrain with a parallel golf cart powertrain. BMW and this consortium are pursuing a dual-mode hybrid, instead of a single mode hybrid. The transmission they have announced (4 mechanical gears, plus 2 electric motors, for 6 functions), is quite interesting. It is said to be the same size as a standard automatic transmission. Look for it in the Durango and Mercedes models first. BMW announced in 2004 that they would have an X5 hybrid out in 12 months. Maybe they will this time.

More details on the technology here:

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...27/005036.html

Jeff

Edit: the second link that Lemans provided, the Bloomberg feed, states that the BMW will be out in 3 to 5 years.

Agree with JCL. Toyota's hybrid is not really that efficient. What BMW is bringing will be a lot more efficient and will save on highway as well.

I just wonder if this new hybrid motor will be able to be powered by both gasoline and hydrogen . . . that way it will continue BMW's (and GM's for that matter) push for hydrogen as a fuel source.

While BMW continues to experiment with hydrogen, this hybrid isn't a hydrogen-powered vehicle. It is a hybrid powertrain, which could have a gasoline engine, a diesel engine, or anything similar at the front end.

As an aside, if BMW did produce a hydrogen vehicle, where would you fill it up? And where would they get their hydrogen from? Hydrogen, IMO, can better be thought of as a storage method (like a battery) than a fuel in the way that we think of gasoline, diesel, natural gas, etc). You have to produce the hydrogen first. Just a few wrinkles to work out there first.....

Jeff

Very interesting link. First time I've seen the issue of regenerative braking applied to transmission rather than at the wheels. Wonder if this could evenually be scaled up for heavy trucks. Other question regards disposal--are the batteries nickel?

If I ever have any engineering questions, I'll just hang out at a coffee shop in Troy, Michigan...

SoI guess we won't diesel version here in US at all?