The pre-Paris Motor Show unveilings continue with the roll out of the first official details and photos of a new BMW Concept Active Tourer.
With the new BMW Concept Active Tourer, BMW presents a vehicle at the 2012 Paris Motor Show which is the first in the premium compact segment to combine comfort and space functionality with dynamic performance and style.
As a plug-in hybrid, the BMW Concept Active Tourer also provides a glimpse ahead to future drive variants in automobiles of the compact class.
The eDrive concept familiar from the BMW i8 is used here for the first time in a model of the core BMW brand and will in future be the designation for all electric and plug-in hybrid drives. It covers all components of the electric drive, the electric motor developed by BMW, the lithium-ion battery and the intelligent engine control unit.
The new BMW Concept Active Tourer combines compact dimensions and an attractive, sporty design with hallmark BMW quality. With an exterior length of 4,350 millimeters, a width of 1,834 millimeters and a total height of 1,560 millimeters, the BMW Concept Active Tourer is geared towards customers of the premium segment who appreciate a high level of comfort, a raised seating position and a generous amount of space.
The BMW Concept Active Tourer will also be attractive to families who attach importance to functionality and versatility as well as lifestyle and athletic flair.
A long wheelbase of 2,670 millimeters, a high roof line and a compact transverse engine with front-wheel drive make it possible to create a generously sized interior. The spacious load compartment of the BMW Concept Active Tourer provides fully-fledged everyday suitability since the batteries of the hybrid drive are housed entirely underneath the load floor.
At the heart of the Concept Active Tourer is BMW’s new eDrive plug-in hybrid drive system that pairs a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-three with a lithium-ion powered electric system. The total system output is rated at 140kW/190hp and 147 pound-feet of torque.
The BMW Concept Active Tourer accelerates in less than eight seconds from standing to 62 mph (o-100 km/h), while the maximum speed achieved by the dynamic plug-in hybrid is around 124 mph (200 km/h). In spite of these impressive performance figures, the average fuel consumption is less than 2.5 liters per 100 kilometers (about 94 miles per gallon), with a CO2 emissions level of less than 60 g/km.
With a fully charged battery, the BMW Concept Active Tourer has a maximum range of over 20 miles (30 km) when running on electric power alone. This means that the majority of day-to-day trips dispense with local emissions entirely. The lithium-ion battery of the BMW Concept Active Tourer can be charged at any 220 volt household power socket. Power can be drawn from both axes of the BMW Concept Active Tourer and fed into the lithium-ion battery so as to enhance the efficiency of the plug-in hybrid. While the electric motor automatically recuperates maximum energy at the rear axle during deceleration, a high-volt generator connected to the combustion engine additionally charges the battery whenever needed.
The BMW Concept Active Tourer is fitted with the ECO PRO mode which is also available in current BMW serial production models. This additional method of cutting fuel consumption remains globally unique in the automotive sector to date in this form. At the appropriate opportunities, ECO PRO mode reduces the power of the interior air conditioning and other electrically powered comfort functions, ensuring drive components operate on maximum efficiency according to the current situation on the road.
ECO PRO mode also provides the driver with valuable advice. To this end, this system is linked to the navigation system. Based on the calculated route data and the driver’s individual style of driving, ECO PRO mode is able to indicate how to reach a given destination with the lowest level of fuel consumption, for example. The preview assistant gives the driver tips such as “Remove foot from accelerator” if a tight bend or speed limit is approaching which the driver cannot even see yet. The preview assistant can take into account such features as bends, built-up areas, roundabouts, T junctions and motorway exits. At the same time, an anticipatory transmission assistant optimizes the electronic transmission control system for imminent situations.
ECO PRO mode can also activate the so-called coasting mode at two levels between 31 and 99 mph (50 and 160 km/h). Here the system completely deactivates the combustion engine at speeds of up to 125 km/h. It also decouples the engine from the drive train up to a speed of 99 mph, allowing comfortable driving while making full use of the kinetic energy already generated.[wzslider height=”400″ lightbox=”true”]
