BMW's 118d named 2008 World Green Car of the Year

[xcel]

Automotive Journalists from around the world recognize the BMW's 118d diesel hybrid as the Worlds Best with consideration for its low emissions, fuel consumption and advanced powertrain.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Mar. 20, 2008

The 2008 BMW 118d is a two or four-door hatchback powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine that is not available in the US. Included with the BMW EfficientDynamics 118d is Auto Start-Stop, Brake Energy Regeneration (iGR) and Intelligent Alternator Control (IAC), Electric Power Steering (EPS) with Servotronic and Optimum shift indicator.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - The selection committee for the 2008 World Car of the Year Awards announced today that the European BMW 118d Advanced Turbo-Diesel-Hybrid was named as the 2008 World Green Car of the Year.

"We are honored to receive the 2008 World Green Car Award for the BMW 118d," said Mr. Purves. "As a company we have been committed to reducing fuel consumption and emissions of our vehicles, while at the same time improving performance. This commitment is the driving force of our Efficient Dynamics platform and the philosophy behind BMW's vehicle designs and development of technologies such as the Advanced Diesel implemented in the 118d. This honor will inspire BMW's continuing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint."

The jury of world renowned automotive journalists selected the BMW 118d as top choice from a list of three finalists that included the Smart ForTwo CDI and Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI. To be eligible for the 2008 World Green Car award, vehicles had to be available in at least one major market during 2007. The vehicle or the green technology could be in production or an experimental prototype with potential near-future application, provided that it was released for individual or press fleet evaluations in quantities of ten or more during 2007. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.

BMW 118d - Specifications

*Fuel Consumption (mpgUS)
Urban/City	43.6
Extra-Urban/Highway	58.8
Combined	52.3
CO2 emissions	119g/km
Performance
Aero Drag (Cd)	.30
Top speed (mph)	130 mph
Acceleration 0-62 mph (sec)	9.0

* NEDC (New European Driving Cycle)

Standard advanced safety technology

• Airbags - for Driver and Passenger, front and side
• Airbags – Side Curtain airbags front and rear
• Alarm system with remote control
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Automatic Stability Control (ASC + T)
• Brake Force Display - brake light intensity geared to brake force (two stages)
• Central locking switch in center of dashboard
• Child locking system, rear doors
• Cornering Brake Control (CBC)
• Crash sensor activating central locking release, hazard warning lights, fuel cut-off and interior lighting
• Deformation zones front and rear, door reinforcements and bumpers that regenerate to their original shape in impacts up to 2.5 mph
• Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
• Dynamic Traction Control (DTC)
• Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
• Electronic immobilizer
• First Aid kit and warning triangle
• Foglights, front
• Lights on warning
• Mechanical lock-out for prevention of petrol refueling in diesel cars
• Park Distance Control (PDC), rear
• Passenger seat occupancy sensor, front
• Run-flat tires with Tire Puncture Warning System (TPWS)
• Seat belts - inertia reel at the front with pyrotechnic belt latch tensioner, belt force limiter and belt restrainer
• Seat belts - Rear seat belt system with three three-point seat belts
• Seat belts - three with inertia reel, rear (two when four seat configuration is specified)
• Side impact protection
• Windscreen washer jets, heated
• Windscreen wipers with adjustable intermittent intervals

The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

[300TTto545]

Seems like a nice little car. I was disappointed at the mileage until I realized it wasn't a hybrid. Why would it be considered a hybrid? To me that means 2 different power sources. This is a nice efficient diesel - nothing more. It has efficiency additions that should be on most cars soon - BMW has done a good job here but this is not a hybrid.

[PaleMelanesian]

Ok, that's two "World Car of the Year"s that are not available here in the US. Come on... Please!

[xcel]

Hi 300TTto545:

___Read the cars details again and you will see it includes both Start/Stop and Regenerative braking. It uses a large cap 12V AGM as the power source rather than a large NiMH pack however. This is not an ordinary diesel by any stretch.

___Andrew, the only way I can think of to get these vehicles here into the US is to embarrass the manufacturers to bring them over. BMW has the 335d with the 3.0L V6 diesel slated for this fall but where is the real fuel saver in the form of the 2.0? Better yet, where is anything from the Big 2.5 as this thing has almost double the FE with even better performance of anything Ford, GM or Chrysler is currently selling here in the US And it’s a semi-lux ride on top of that

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[mulad]

Originally Posted by 300TTto545

Seems like a nice little car. I was disappointed at the mileage until I realized it wasn't a hybrid. Why would it be considered a hybrid? To me that means 2 different power sources. This is a nice efficient diesel - nothing more. It has efficiency additions that should be on most cars soon - BMW has done a good job here but this is not a hybrid.

Yeah, it's not a hybrid. It's just disengaging the alternator most of the time, then engaging it to recharge the accessory/starter battery periodically (usually under braking). This is basically energy that would have been captured by the alternator normally, but this car is being more careful about when it's captured.

Their system also turns off the engine at stops and restarts it when you want to go. I don't think it provides any motive power, but if it did, it'd be as much a hybrid as General Motors' belt-alternator-starter system.

I'm a little surprised this award went to the 118d versus the Mini Cooper D, since the Mini has the same features these days yet gets better economy (if memory serves).

[300TTto545]

Wayne - I read the details. It is not a hybrid. A few energy saving things that should be on all cars but a hybrid means 2 power sources for moving car. This car does not have that. A small diesel hybrid should get 70-80 mpg if made for efficiency.

[xcel]

Hi 300TTto545:

___BAS says it supply’s some propulsion but it doesn’t even come close. BAS equipped GM rides are mild hybrids as is the 118d.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[300TTto545]

I can't find anything to suggest propulsion in any article on the 118d. The system reduces parasitic alternator loses by charging on braking only. Good idea but no propulsion - from what I can tell.

[xcel]

Hi 300TT545:

___We can debate what a hybrid is or isn’t but you can take that up with GM, SMART or Daimler.

___The 118d includes both start/stop with regenerative braking. GM’s mild hybrid solution in the now defunct Silverado used a similar setup.

"The hybrid pickups achieve extra fuel savings because they automatically stop and restart the engine under different operating circumstances. Instead of a conventional starter motor and alternator, the hybrid pickups use a compact 14-kW electric induction motor or starter generator integrated in a patented, space-efficient manner between the engine and transmission. The starter generator provides fast, quiet starting power and allows automatic engine stops/starts to conserve fuel. It also smoothes out any driveline surges and generates electrical current to charge the batteries."

___Would you like more info about the Smart ForTwo MHD or the MB mild hybrid’s about to be launched in Europe?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[BillLin]

I'm not getting in the middle of this discussion... ;-) Just providing more
data and some commentary.

more info: http://home.planet.nl/~thiss175/bmw1..._catalogue.pdf

The entire line (116i 118i 120i 130i 118d 120d 123d) appears to utilize the
regenerative braking. That's a good thing. True, it appears to only provide
energy to replace the alternator function. Frequent engine starts/stops in
traffic would draw a lot of energy from ordinary alternator/battery accessory
belt systems. So it's a win. By not providing propulsion as well, this feature
comes at the cost of a much smaller generator. I don't know if it is a motor
and generator or only generator. I don't see the need for the motor
capability. Obviously, the ICE has sufficient efficiency and power to pull from
a stop.

Depending on the implementation of the regenerative braking and location of
the generator, this may be a more efficient setup than GM's BAS, with similar
or lower cost.

Wayne said: "...Instead of a conventional starter motor and alternator, the
hybrid pickups use a compact 14-kW electric induction motor or starter generator
integrated in a patented, space-efficient manner between the engine and
transmission."

Doesn't that sound a bit like Honda's IMA? 14 kW is pretty sizable, so that can
easily provide propulsive assistance from its in-line location.

cheers,
Bill