Photo: Autobild.de
Now that we're seeing the technology used on i cars getting diluted onto regular BMW vehicles with the BMW Concept5 X5 eDrive, it's time to take things a bit more seriously.
It's becoming more and more obvious that the EU regulations are making hard for manufacturers to keep building high performance vehicles. BMW is a plain example of the effect the laws have on cars and their manufacturing.
According to these new laws, every manufacturer on the EU territory must have a fleet that has an average CO2 emission level of 130 grams per km by 2015 and 95 grams by 2020.
Those are hard numbers to hit and the only way this will happen is by seeing more and more hybrids and plug-in models on the streets. That's why BMW released the Concept5 and that's why we think it would be a good idea to do the same for the 7 Series.
At the moment, the 7 Series is available as a hybrid in the shape of the ActiveHybrid7 model but we have to be honest, it's not doing very well. The fuel economy is not great and no-one interested in a 7er will look at an AH7.
However, just like Mercedes launched an plug-in hybrid, so could BMW with the upcoming G11 model. With the same technology used in the Concept5 X5, derived from the i3, a Concept7 car could be attractive.
Since most 7 Series are driven by chauffeurs and executives and CEOs are sitting in the back, the problem of plugging in the car would be solved by the men opening doors and getting behind the wheel.
Sure, some people might find it pleasurable to get in the driver's seat once in a while but those are BMW enthusiasts that are a dying breed. Let's face it, most 7ers are used for fleet services.
That being said, reaching a fuel consumption similar to the one of the X5 eDrive (2.5 l/100 km) would be enticing, not to mention it would help with the overall CO2 emission levels.
In the light of the fact that the G11 is just starting tests and it won't come out until 2015, we think the Bavarians are already thinking of such a compromise and they will provide a worthy competitor for Mercedes' S500 Plug-in Hybrid.
According to these new laws, every manufacturer on the EU territory must have a fleet that has an average CO2 emission level of 130 grams per km by 2015 and 95 grams by 2020.
Those are hard numbers to hit and the only way this will happen is by seeing more and more hybrids and plug-in models on the streets. That's why BMW released the Concept5 and that's why we think it would be a good idea to do the same for the 7 Series.
At the moment, the 7 Series is available as a hybrid in the shape of the ActiveHybrid7 model but we have to be honest, it's not doing very well. The fuel economy is not great and no-one interested in a 7er will look at an AH7.
However, just like Mercedes launched an plug-in hybrid, so could BMW with the upcoming G11 model. With the same technology used in the Concept5 X5, derived from the i3, a Concept7 car could be attractive.
Since most 7 Series are driven by chauffeurs and executives and CEOs are sitting in the back, the problem of plugging in the car would be solved by the men opening doors and getting behind the wheel.
Sure, some people might find it pleasurable to get in the driver's seat once in a while but those are BMW enthusiasts that are a dying breed. Let's face it, most 7ers are used for fleet services.
That being said, reaching a fuel consumption similar to the one of the X5 eDrive (2.5 l/100 km) would be enticing, not to mention it would help with the overall CO2 emission levels.
In the light of the fact that the G11 is just starting tests and it won't come out until 2015, we think the Bavarians are already thinking of such a compromise and they will provide a worthy competitor for Mercedes' S500 Plug-in Hybrid.
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