BMW ActiveHybrid X6 Is Stretching The Green Image Of Hybrid Cars

[Right Lane Cruiser]

The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is just not meeting my definition of a green car and also not that of a power car.

Luigi Lugmayr - I4U - September 14, 2009

An interesting take. BMW has more convincing to do. --Ed.

I am a total fan of the BMW X6. It just looks awesome and in my opinion it is the most interesting car BMW offers these days. Of course I was intrigued when BMW announced a hybrid version of the BMW X6 SAV last year at the Detroit Auto Show 2008. The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 will go on sale in Spring of 2010 and will be launched at the IAA 2009 this month.

I got a brochure of the BMW X6 Hybrid in my hands and the specifications are a bit of a headscratcher.

The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 only comes with the V8 engine available in the top model X6 xDrive50i. The electric motor adds to the 407hp another 78hp to give you a total of 485hp. The hybrid X6 is with 2,525kg 260kg heavier than the X6 xDrive50i, the acceleration and the top speed stay about the same though.

The charging of the battery works almost like Kers in The Formula One. When you brake the battery gets charged. The ActiveHybrid also charges the battery on decend and you get automatic start/stop. The technology behind the hybrid drive in the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 definitely is... [Read More]

[SentraSE-R]

If there was an enforceable law against ecological crimes, this car would be up near the top of the list. What a joke.

[GaryG]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

If there was an enforceable law against ecological crimes, this car would be up near the top of the list. What a joke.

Now hold off until this baby is tested. I've been ask to hypermile the BMW Activehybrid X6 in Miami on November 6th. Some people are only getting 22mpg out of their FEH and others are getting in the average Prius range. Lets give BMW their day in court before being convicted of a crime.

When Ford first came out with the FEH in '05 they said it would only go 25mph in EV, but I found out it would go 40mph in EV. When you have a full hybrid anything is possible with the proper P&G and other hypermiling techniques. Has anyone got any knowledge on coasting in neutral in this hybrid? I just ask the question to BMW but have not got an answer yet.

I just saw a X5 on the road yesterday and the rear tires were bald and the fronts looked new. There must be a market for that much horsepower so why not shut the engine down at slow speeds and stops!

GaryG

[xcel]

Hi Gary:

___I was asking around the BMW execs in SC this past week and the X6 Hybrid launch is next week or the week after in Miami. The full details will be released very soon. Your X6 will be one of those that were in the launch press fleet although the Press Fleet manager and I know little about it just yet. We will have a News item or two posted soon and I have an E-Mail in about the actual launch date and if their will be an embargo. Tomorrow I will start catching up again and if Luigi has info, I can bet we have it available to us as well?

___I had the opportunity to drive the X6 around a race track and it was an interesting drive to put it lightly. As Darrel mentioned, it is not the prettiest vehicle BMW has built but the hybrid drivetrain should be very interesting. An item of note is that it will be manufactured in the new addition to the Spartanburg plant alongside the X3, X5 and std. X6’s as well!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[GaryG]

Originally Posted by xcel

Hi Gary:

___I was asking around the BMW execs in SC this past week and the X6 Hybrid launch is next week or the week after in Miami. The full details will be released very soon. Your X6 will be one of those that were in the launch press fleet although the Press Fleet manager and I know little about it just yet. We will have a News item or two posted soon and I have an E-Mail in about the actual launch date and if their will be an embargo. Tomorrow I will start catching up again and if Luigi has info, I can bet we have it available to us as well?

___I had the opportunity to drive the X6 around a race track and it was an interesting drive to put it lightly. As Darrel mentioned, it is not the prettiest vehicle BMW has built but the hybrid drivetrain should be very interesting. An item of note is that it will be manufactured in the new addition to the Spartanburg plant alongside the X3, X5 and std. X6’s as well!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Wayne

I was sent a copy of the specs but ask not to let them get published till Nov. 5th. They're in German so they are no good to me. There are about a hundred new BMW vehicles ready for show in Miami in an enclosed Resort parking garage with guards. I drove down to Miami and saw the Active Hybrid X6 being driven around the parking lot by BMW Execs as I was talking to the guard. Neat car and I have a whole day with one on Friday.

The round trip (164 miles) down to the Resort in my '09 FEH yielded a real 60mpg according to my SGII which is adjusted properly.

I'm looking for my CleanMPG.Com cap given to me by you at the '07 Hybridfest as a winner so I can wear it during the filming.

GaryG

[GaryG]

Just got back from Miami where I hypermiled the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid CUV for a documentary by German Vox Channel TV. This is the most powerful V8 Hybrid with 480 horsepower but it can purr like a kitten in a Pulse, and Glide as good or better than my FWD FEH in neutral. Coasting in "D" produced more regen than I'm use too in my FWD FEH but this is an AWD.

The wind was a big problem because the gust made to much noise with the windows open so we had to run the electric AC to film. We even had to move to places that the buildings shielded the wind in outside interviews on the CUV and Hypermiling. When I turned off the A/C and open the windows I got the MPG above 30 but I was having problems going EV for the glide. Sometimes it was real easy by just letting off the accelerator and other times I had to tap the brake pedal. The SoC gauge was just four big bars and somewhere in the 2nd bar the SoC was to low to go EV. At any rate, it didn't seem as consistent with EV as my '09 FEH with the SGII SoC gauge. I am sure that I could put this CUV above 40mpg and higher with a little more practice. It was bumper to bumper in South Beach during lunch hour and people were crossing the streets in front of you if there was any space between cars moving.

Very nice vehicle inside and out and BMW even put those wheel air spoilers in front of all the tires. In my opinion the V8 seems very efficient with a moderate Pulse just like my '09 FEH. BMW can let me test drive that CUV all year round if they want to.

GaryG