Specifically, this set-up combustion engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo technology with an electrical motor. The vehicle also includes special battery technology which offers the possibility of charging from a mains power supply.
If it runs in pure electric mode, the prototype is able to travel for up to 75 km at a constant speed of 60 km/h. Use of the combustion engine provides a minimum additional range of 400 km, which is in line with the driving profile of Chinese customers in the premium segment.
The parallel hybrid set-up consists of a 160 kW combustion engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and an electrical motor with a maximum output of 70 kW. The electrical motor draws its energy from a high-voltage battery housed in the luggage compartment which can be charged via the mains power supply.
“The properties of the plug-in hybrid vehicle are geared closely towards the demands of the Chinese automotive market. The prototype provides ride comfort, luxurious ambience and interior space at the same level as the long wheelbase version of the BMW 5 Series Sedan which has been so successful in China,” a company statement reads.
The prototype has been developed exclusively for the Chinese automobile market and produced at the Shenyang site. BMW says that series production is to start in China in 2013.
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