By: Jesse Adams
Marseille, France - BMW is set to electrify some of the more mainstream models in its ever-broadening lineup with the same (or similar) plug-in hybrid drive system it developed for use in its i8 supercar.
At a private event held far from spy photographers’ prying lenses at the German giant’s massive Miramas test track in southern France last week, BMW hauled out some of its latest performance-enhancing and fuel-saving projects for select media guests to dig into. Besides getting a chance to sample a 1 Series hatch with a clever system that actually mixes water with petrol to boost power, and an opportunity to drive a special carbonfibre-infused 5 Series GT test mule that runs on hydrogen alone; we also got a sneak preview of a 2 Series Active Tourer plug-in hybrid prototype.
CLOSE TO REALITY
I’ll take the word prototype with a pinch of salt, however, as the test cars we drove seemed polished enough for actual production; and I’m going out on a limb to say it’ll likely be for sale in South African showrooms alongside pluggable 7 Series, 3 Series and X5 models by the end of 2016.
The plug-in Active Tourer rides on the very same platform as normal versions available from dealerships right now, but instead of the usual petrol (or diesel) engines powering the front wheels alone, this one gets added drive from a 65kW/165Nm electric motor at the back axle. It’s almost an exact mirror image of the futuristic-looking i8 which gets petrol power from the same (but up-tuned) 1.5-litre turbo engine mounted at the back and a battery driven electric motor at the front.
Just like the i8, the Active Tourer plug-in gets a fuel flap in the right front fender dedicated to topping up its battery packs via a charging cord. From a normal wall socket this should take just over three hours, or just over two from a BMW-supplied iWallbox fast charger.
REAL WORLD WINNER
Brimmed batteries will give a fully electric and emission-less range of around 38km, so if your daily commute is within this distance you could theoretically never need petrol at all.
But, also just like the i8, a heavier right foot will call upon the three-cylinder petrol engine for support, in which case a full 165kW and 385Nm of combined power makes for a relatively hot, and surprisingly offroad capable, all-wheel driven hatch. BMW says 0-100km/h can happen in just 6.5 seconds, but if you resist full-throttle temptation average fuel consumption can drop as low as 2 litres per 100km. In plug-in guise the 2 Series AT loses little of its convenience attributes, and the interior is almost identical to non-hybrid models. All that’s lost is the underfloor spare wheel – which is an option in most models anyway.
WATER INJECTION FOR YOU?
The water-injected 1 Series I drove is a little further away from real-world applications, only because BMW’s still sourcing suppliers for the fancy water tank reservoirs with complex quality sensors and filtration systems. But if this system does see production one day (it’s already being used in the M4 safety car at this year’s MotoGP races), expect a 10 percent power boost from whichever turbo engines it’s paired with. The water is sprayed in a fine mixture (it evaporates before ignition) with normal petrol to cool the combustion chamber, in turn allowing for more cylinder compression, or in other words more boost. The cooling also creates some efficiency, but unlike with most fuel-cheating systems you have to burn more to save more – like buying groceries in bulk.
HYDROGEN FUTURE
Hydrogen power is a highly unlikely prospect here in South Africa where refuelling infrastructure would be way too expensive, but in more advanced parts of the world it’s slowly gaining popularity. BMW’s fuel cell tech, which it develops in cooperation with Toyota, basically makes electricity via chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, to drive an electric motor.
The hydrogen-powered 5 Series GT prototype offers a bizarre driving experience, where it runs silently like a proper electric vehicle (EV) until you open the throttle. Then, a high-pressure pump sucks air into the fuel cell unit, with a loud slurping sound – almost like a turbo but without any combustion noise. BMW says it’s working on how it will adjust cabin acoustics to suit future production models, but I reckon they should leave it as is. I fear they’ll try to disguise it with normal combustion engine noises, but that would be like programming your computer keyboard to click like an old-school typewriter. Travesty.
Follow me on Twitter @PoorBoyLtd
Star Motoring