If you cast your mind back to Genf 2008 and the BMW X5 Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept car, and you can see how the Vision will become a reality in more than one concept.
The BMW 5er Active Hybrid will be launched next year with six cylinder combined with electric motor.
But to really put the cat amongst the pidgeons , BMW are moving forward with the drivetrain featured in this original concept for the next X5.
Which means it's back up engine will be a four cylinder diesel combined to electric motors.
In europe there is the Active Hybrid models in one corner and the vast variety of diesels offering efficiency and more choice in the other.
Less so in the US for both the current X6 and 7 Active Hybrid models.
Back to go back to the original concept.
Part of the BMW EfficientDynamics program, this concept vehicle is the first application of a four-cylinder diesel engine with BMW ActiveHybrid technology in a large SAV. Here, the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine supplies a maximum output of 204 horsepower and the 15-kilowatt motor adds 17 hp more, for a total of 221 hp.
Output from both engine and motor is sent to all four wheels through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, with BMW's xDrive torque vectoring all-wheel-drive. The transmission, developed jointly by BMW and ZF Getriebe GmbH, is ready for serial production. This 8-speed automatic helps reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions through its direct connection to the engine and minimized torque-converter slip. BMW's xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system divides power variably between the front and rear axles.
The concept uses two parallel vehicle electrical systems, a conventional 12 volt system supplied by the AGM starter battery and an additional 120 volt system that's supplied by a generator and lithium-ion battery pack located in the luggage compartment. Rather than a conventional engine-driven generator, a compact generator is integrated in the aluminum crankcase housing. The high-power electronic system is flange-mounted directly onto the gearbox for a more compact design. Brake Energy Regeneration helps charge the battery.
A high-power, one square meter solar panel on the roof provides up to one kilowatt-hour of energy and preheats the transmission fluid to reduce friction during a cold start. After startup, the solar panel helps power accessories, particularly during idle when auto start/stop is functioning. During standstill it's designed to provide electricity for the climate control system, infotainment, phone charging, or the vehicle's battery charger.
Even the wheel rims were designed to help reduce fuel consumption in the interest of optimizing efficiency. The aerodynamic shaping of the spokes reduces rim ventilation power requirements by one kilowatt at 100 mph.
This would effectively make the next generation X5 Active Hybrid model the most efficient SAV in it's segment.
This could be such a current mule because of the proximity of the factory but Munich have some X5's with the prototype drivetrain on todays platform undergoing evaluation.
