BMW 7-series ActiveHybrid launch on 23rd July

BMW’s first hybrid model for India, the 7-series ActiveHybrid will be launched on July 23. The ActiveHybrid will be the company’s flagship model, coming in as a full import. It sets the stage up for BMW’s ‘i’ range of cars, the i8 and the i3 with the former expected to hit our shores in a few months.

The 7-series active hybrid gets part electric propulsion and that makes the 7-series a tempting buy for the eco-friendly elite but it’s no slow machine. The ActiveHybrid is powered by a 6-cylinder straight six petrol with two turbochargers.  It develops 324PS of power from the petrol engine and 40KW of electric power from the Lithium Ion battery. With a combined output of 359PS and 500Nm of torque, the 7-series ActiveHybrid can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 5.7 seconds. 

BMW says that the ActiveHybrid is 14 percent more fuel efficient to the 740 Li. The electric motor gives an extra 210Nm of torque to the 7-series and can help reach an electric-only top speed of 60kmph and has a range of 4km on purely battery power. To keep load off the engine, a 120 volt lithium-ion battery pack powers the air-conditioning system so it can run even when the car is turned off and does not consume any fuel thus improving fuel economy.

The ActiveHybrid also gets brake energy regeneration and a hybrid start stop system to save fuel. The in-line six comes mated with the familiar 8-speed automatic gearbox. After the 7-series ActiveHybrid, BMW’s next eco-friendly product for India will be the i8 hybrid supercar.