The new 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is a hybrid automobile that bears little resemblance to a Toyota Prius or other similar hybrids. When you initially think of hybrid, you think fuel performance, but the BMW hybrid is nowhere near as efficient as most hybrids. The 2011 ActiveHybrid 7 happens to be the most fuel-efficient of the 7-series model, but its power steering is turned off by the idle stop feature, and it doesn't work well in stop-and-go traffic. It's really a great innovation in motor vehicle technology but its quirkiness when driving can get annoying.
The majority of hybrids employ 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 minimize fuel consumption, BMW uses it to make the car move faster. A new 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 has got the same engine, a twin turbo direct-injection 4.4-liter V-8, as the typical BMW 750i. The sole distinction is the inclusion of an electric motor than obtains its power from a 120-volt lithium ion battery pack. The hybrid will give you much better fuel consumption than the regular 750i but provide even more horsepower.
Despite being a hybrid vehicle, the ActiveHybrid 7 isn't going to drive in pure electric mode in any situation. It is similar to 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 being 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 if you get to a stop, you will feel the engine go silent and the tach needle go to zero. In spite of the proportions of the engine, the automobile starts up very smoothly when you take the foot off the brake pedal.
While you're parked at a traffic light that is really lengthy, that is when the idle stop system works well, but not quite as well in stop-and-go traffic. For reasons yet unknown, your car will shut down for 5 seconds at a time even in stop-and-go traffic. The level of power is impressive but it does take some getting used to simply because the car will lunge forward even with a light touch on the accelerator. It could possibly sound green calling this vehicle a hybrid, however the added horsepower and not fuel efficiency is what this hybrid system has done.
Gas efficiency is pretty relative when comparing it to other hybrids where it is more efficient than other BMW 7 series models but it get 20 miles per gallon. Even though that is ideal for a luxury sport vehicle that isn't all that much for a hybrid.
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