2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 First Drive Report - Green Car Reports
Earlier on this year, we asked you if the 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 was really green, or not. Now we've had a chance to drive it. . Combining a 3. 0-liter TwinPower Turbo straight-six engine and full-hybrid drivetrain into a 5-series body, the ActiveHybrid 5 looks just like any other premium 5-series on the market. Capable of moving at speeds up to 37 mph in all-electric mode, the ActiveHybrid 5 operates much like the 2012 Toyota Prius at low speed, offering zero-emissions maneuvering in parking lots and through busy stop-start traffic. Sadly however, the ActiveHybrid 5 is a full 1,036 pounds heavier than the 2012 Toyota Prius, and because it has a 40 kilowatt electric motor instead of the 60 kilowatt electric motor found in the 2012 Toyota Prius, it feels a little heavy and... In reality however, while the ActiveHybrid 5 can operate without its gasoline engine, it fares best when both the gasoline engine and electric motor work in concert. Stroke the pedal gently, and BMW says you can achieve somewhere around 37 mpg on the highway, thanks to sophisticated hybrid software that splits power delivery between the inline-six and the electric motor for maximum efficiency. That, by the way, is enough to let the ActiveHybrid 5 show up every Toyota Prius, and Honda insight on the road, not to mention. Source: www.greencarreports.com
