While the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is actually a hybrid, you will never mistake it for a Prius. Gasoline efficiency is the thing that you think of when you think hybrid but the BMW hybrid is not that fuel efficient. While the 2011 ActiveHybrid 7 will certainly save on fuel when compared with its other 7-series siblings, its ride in stop and go traffic is iffy and the power steering gets turned off in idle stop. It really is a engineering powerhouse, and the hybrid system adds power and fuel efficiency but also adds quirks to your driving everyday.
Almost all hybrids possess a smaller gas engine simply because the car is also being powered by the electric motor but this is not true for the BMW ActiveHybrid 7. While the typical hybrid uses the energy generated by the electric motor to reduce fuel consumption, BMW uses it to make the car move faster. Like the standard BMW 750i, the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 has a twin turbo direct-injection 4.4-liter V-8 engine. Unlike the BMW 750i, the ActiveHybrid 7 comes with a 120-volt lithium ion power supply. This stores much more horsepower than a 750i and provides much better fuel economy. DEFL 2.0
Many hybrids have the ability to switch to all-electric mode even so the ActiveHybrid 7 does not do that. As a substitute, the system is going to include some boost during acceleration and the engine will shut down at a stop which is like the Integrated Motor Assist System of the Honda. While driving, you’ll have no idea that it is a hybrid except when you see a blue are in the fuel monitor to show that electricity is being regenerated. When you get to a stoplight, you will know it’s a hybrid because the engine will go quiet and the tachometer drops to zero. As soon as you take the foot off of the brake, the engine comes back on effortlessly which is impressive considering the size of the engine. Fein MultiMaster FMM 250Q Top review
While the idle stop system works well at a long stoplight, it does not do so well in stop-and-go traffic. The car will usually shut down for 5 seconds at a time which can end up getting irritating after awhile. In addition, it takes getting used to the amount of power, because the vehicle lunges frontward with the slightest touch of the accelerator. It could possibly sound green calling this car a hybrid, however the added horsepower and not fuel efficiency is what this hybrid system has done. Healthy Dog Food Homemade Recipes
As soon as you visualize a hybrid, you think of fuel efficiency, and even though the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is more efficient that the standard BMW 7-series, it only gets around 20 miles per gallon. Even though that is great for a luxury sport vehicle that isn’t all that much for a hybrid.