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The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Vs . The Toyota Prius: They Aren’t Alike

22 February, 2012 (14:53) | Sports | By: author

A 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is a hybrid that will never remind you of a Prius in virtually any shape or form. Fuel efficiency is exactly what you think of when you think hybrid however the BMW hybrid is not that fuel efficient. The 2011 ActiveHybrid 7 is actually the most fuel-efficient of the 7-series model, but its power steering is shut off by the idle stop feature, and it doesn’t work well in stop-and-go traffic. It’s a great innovation in automobile technology but its quirkiness when driving can get annoying.

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The majority of hybrids have a smaller gas engine since the car is also being powered by the electric motor but this is not true for the BMW ActiveHybrid 7. While the typical hybrid uses the energy generated by the electric motor to reduce fuel consumption, BMW uses it to make the car move faster. Typically the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 has the same engine, a twin turbo direct-injection 4.4-liter V-8, as the standard BMW 750i. As opposed to the BMW 750i, the ActiveHybrid 7 comes with a 120-volt lithium ion battery supply. The hybrid will give you better gas mileage than the regular 750i but provide even more horsepower.

A lot of hybrids have the ability to switch to all-electric mode but the ActiveHybrid 7 does not do that. As a substitute, the system should include some boost during acceleration and the engine will shut down at a stop which is like the Integrated Motor Assist System of the Honda. As a driver, you would not assume the ActiveHybrid 7 is a hybrid unless you see a blue area on the fuel gauge indicating that electricity is being regenerated. However when you get to a stop, you’ll feel the engine go silent and the tach needle go to zero. As soon as you take the foot from the brake, the engine comes back on effortlessly which is impressive considering the size of the engine.

While you’re sitting at a traffic light that is really prolonged, that is when the idle stop system is effective, but not quite as well in stop-and-go traffic. It is nice to have the engine shut down as you sit there stopped, however it becomes a nuisance when it shuts down for 5 seconds at a time, and this takes some getting used to. The degree of performance is impressive but it does take some getting used to given that the car will lunge forward even with a light touch on the accelerator. It does not seem to be a very eco-friendly car but the intent behind this hybrid is to add power more than improve fuel efficiency.

The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 comes with the greatest gas mileage in the BMW 7 series family but it only gets 20 miles per gallon. That is good mileage for a top end luxury car but that is not necessarily very good as a hybrid.

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