As recent rumors suggested, BMW is, in fact, growing its hybrid offerings, though battery power may not be headed to the 3 Series just yet. The German automaker has just unveiled a new production ActiveHybrid 5. The vehicle is based on the 535i, and pairs the company’s turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine with a 55-horsepower electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. A lithium-ion battery pack provides electricity storage.
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All told, the system produces somewhere around 335 horsepower and allows the driver to whir along on all-electric power at speeds of up to 37 mph, but it can only push along in all-electric mode for around 2.5 miles at average of 22 mph. Early guesses say that the system will afford a “double-digit percentage improvement in fuel economy over the 535i,” yet it will also propel the ActiveHybrid to 60 mph in around 5.7 seconds.
Full Story and Pics: Autoblog
