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(Fri 22 Feb 08) BMW will display the latest technology in its EfficientDynamics programme at the Geneva Show next month. On display will be the X5-based BMW Vision EfficientDynamics, which combines high performance with impressive official fuel economy and CO2 figures.
Under the bonnet lies a two-litre twin-turbo diesel engine which produces a maximum of 204bhp. In what's known in the industry as a "mild hybrid" system, the engine's power is enhanced by an electric motor which can contribute a further 20bhp. Energy for the motor is captured using the Brake Energy Regeneration system already used on several production BMWs, and also by solar panels mounted in the roof. This is enough power to suggest quite decent straightline performance, but the Vision also manages 43.5mpg on the combined cycle and produces 172g/km of CO2, which is a notably low figure for a large SUV. The economy/CO2 situation is helped by the fact that the Vision has an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The advantage of having so many gears is that the engine is usually operating at near enough the ideal speed for the driving conditions. Previous: Porsche And The Congestion Charge Again Next: Vauxhall Meriva Concept |
