The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Can't Be Likened To The Toyota Prius
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Although the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is actually a hybrid, you'll never mistake it for a Prius. Fuel efficiency is the thing that you think of when you think hybrid however the BMW hybrid is not that fuel efficient. The 2011 ActiveHybrid 7 is actually the most fuel-efficient of the 7-series model, but its power steering is shut down by the idle stop feature, and it doesn't work well in stop-and-go traffic. It's a tech powerhouse, and the hybrid structure adds power and fuel efficiency but also adds quirks to your driving everyday.
The use of an electrical motor in a hybrid shows that the gas-powered motor is smaller but in the case of the BMW, it is not. Although the standard hybrid uses the energy generated by the electric motor to minimize 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. In contrast to the BMW 750i, the ActiveHybrid 7 comes with a 120-volt lithium ion battery pack. It packs far more horsepower than a 750i and provides greater fuel economy.
Many hybrids have the capacity to switch to all-electric mode even so the ActiveHybrid 7 does not do that. It is just like the Integrated Motor Assist System of the Honda when the engine is going to shut down at stops and will add boost during acceleration. As a driver, you would not believe the ActiveHybrid 7 is a hybrid up until you see a blue area on the fuel gauge indicating that electricity is being regenerated. But when you come to a stop, you will feel the engine go silent and the tach needle go to zero. When you take the foot off the brake, the engine comes back on smoothly which is impressive considering the size of the engine.
The idle stop system is quite impressive when you are at a traffic light but it can't be the same when you are stuck in stop-and-go traffic. It is nice to have the engine stop running as you sit there stopped, nevertheless it becomes a nuisance when it shuts down for 5 seconds at a time, and this takes some getting used to. It also takes getting used to the amount of power, because the vehicle lunges ahead with the slightest touch of the accelerator. It may sound green calling this automobile a hybrid, however the added horsepower and not fuel efficiency is what this hybrid system has done.
Any time you think of 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. That is certainly good mileage for a top end luxury car but that is not really very good as a hybrid.
Additional Links:
The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Vs . The Toyota Prius: They Aren't Similar
The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Can't Be Compared To The Toyota Prius