Click above for a high-res gallery of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics X5.
Every auto show nowadays has to have its fair share of "green" concepts, and Geneva won't be any different. Over at the BMW stand, the automaker will be showing off its Vision EfficientDynamics Concept that's packing a twin-turbo, 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel that's mated to a hybrid motor. The diesel mill alone is making 204 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, but the addition of a compact generator increases power by another 20 hp and 154 lb.-ft. of torque. Power is sent through an eight-speed gearbox developed by ZF that features longer ratios to make the most of the miserly mill. BMW cites mpg figures in the 43.5-range, with 172 g/km of CO2 being shot on the tailpipe. Additionally, BMW has fitted a regenerative braking system to the X5, along with roof-mounted solar panels and aerodynamically enhanced 19-inch wheels.
All the details are available after the jump in BMW's press release.
PRESS RELEASE
BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Revealed
Offering an insight into the future of BMW's innovative EfficientDynamics technologies
The Geneva Motor Show (4 – 16 March) will mark the world premiere of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics, a concept car designed to showcase the future direction of BMW's performance enhancing and emissions lowering innovations. Mild ActiveHybrid technology is combined with a twin-turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine, a new eight-speed automatic gearbox and even roof-mounted solar panels, and all shrouded in a BMW X5 body.
All of these technologies combine to deliver the best fuel economy and lowest emissions of any large 4x4 currently on sale. The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics delivers 43.5mpg on the combined cycle and just 172g/km of CO2 emissions. However, these frugal figures do not translate into low performance figures. With its twin-turbocharged two-litre diesel engine delivering more than 100hp per litre, the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept completes the sprint from zero to 62mph in just 8.9 seconds, a time faster than most current production competitors.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine in the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics uses BMW's Variable Twin Turbo concept, third-generation common-rail injection and an all aluminium crankcase to deliver 204hp and 400Nm of torque between 2,000 and 2,250rpm. The engine is supplemented by a mild hybrid concept that delivers a further 20hp and 210Nm of torque under acceleration. As a consequence, even though the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics features a relatively small capacity engine, it delivers nearly the same levels of horsepower as the conventional X5, but offers improvements in its already class-leading consumption and emissions figures.
The mild hybrid solution in the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics uses a compact generator that, for the first time, is flange mounted directly onto the gearbox. This motor produces up to 20hp of on-demand power. In addition, BMW's now familiar Brake Energy Regeneration is used to efficiently capture energy that would previously have been lost when the engine is on overrun. Innovatively, the alternator is also integrated into the crankcase rather than conventionally driven from the front of the engine.
BMW's concept uses highly efficient lithium-ion batteries in the boot area to store the power generated. These high-storage-capacity batteries enable optimum use of Brake Energy Regeneration. In addition, they create possibilities to power the air conditioning, electric coolant pump and the electric power steering system. For these functions, a 120 volt vehicle power system was designed and runs in parallel with the conventional 12 volt system.
The power harnessed by the batteries is also supplemented by roof mounted photovoltaic solar panels, measuring 1.0 metre square. The energy generated can either be used immediately or stored for later use. Importantly, the power created in this zero- CO2 way can be used to pre-heat the diesel fuel. The less efficient warm-up phase is thus shortened considerably.
This innovative and technologically advanced engine is directly mated to a new eight- speed automatic transmission. Developed jointly between BMW and ZF, the new gearbox delivers fast and efficient gear changes. With such a spread of gears, the car will always be in exactly the right ratio for the prevailing driving conditions. It also improves fuel consumption and minimises emissions.
The chassis and ride-height of the X5 have been adapted for the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics. This includes aerodynamically-efficient 19-inch light alloy wheels with reduced ventilation. The design of the spokes reduces wind resistance to the extent that, at 100mph, the car has to produce one horsepower less than a conventionally-wheeled car. This benefit has not been included in the fuel consumption calculations but, on the road, the impact is noticeable.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
May @ Feb 21st 2008 4:39PM
Good to know that BMW has come up with a 'green' hybrid :)
3seriesisking @ Feb 21st 2008 4:42PM
Looks to be a good package.
3seriesisking @ Feb 21st 2008 4:44PM
And am I reading this right......224 hp and 449 lb/ft of torque?
David @ Feb 21st 2008 4:47PM
Probably, it is a diesel engine.
broosewee @ Feb 21st 2008 4:52PM
A twin-turbo Diesel Hybrid... sounds like a good mix.
RPM @ Feb 21st 2008 5:01PM
Wow those are some terrible rims, but that torque rating is amazing.
3seriesisking @ Feb 21st 2008 5:10PM
I agree with you on those rims.
klitorisaurus @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:49AM
Totally.
Chris @ Feb 21st 2008 5:07PM
Here's a concept. Put her on a diet.
Remove the heavy xdrive system and drive the front wheels with the electric motors.
What about giving it the hydrogen drive train from the 7 Series?
mattypape, uk @ Feb 21st 2008 5:18PM
Errr...maybe because that will just create a concept that wont see the light of day (at least on most driveways) for many years, matye a decade.
This can shows people what they may be able to buy in maybe a year or so.
Top job to BMW though, this thing has great credentials, probably will be the first true green 4x4 on the market if it ever gets onto it.
DJ @ Feb 21st 2008 5:11PM
449 lb of torque and 43.5MPG? Geez, you could pull the gas station along with you and NEVER run out of fuel!
By the way, can you imagine this in a 5-series sedan? Especially if you could lighten it up with aluminum body panels in strategic areas. Then you're probably boosting MPG by 5 or 6 and still have a 0-60MPH time in the 6's.
Also, we in the US need to embrace the diesel hybrid concept if we are serious about meeting CAFE requirements. Think about it, if this technology were applied to a Chevy Suburban, you'd probably still get 33 MPG or so. That's nearly a 100% increase!
Franz @ Feb 21st 2008 5:22PM
This motor sounds really good. 224hp & 449lb. ft. from a 2.0L is impressive. This is to me the first really viable hybrid powerplant, and the only one so far that I'd be interested in. And 43.5mpg? That's definitely an X5 I'd own, providing the price is right.
C'Est Raoul @ Feb 21st 2008 5:58PM
X5 with a 2.0l engine...
Soon we'll get scam emails for V8 instead of viagra...
DKB_SATX @ Feb 21st 2008 6:02PM
While diesel+hybrid sounds like it would add up to super economy, I have to agree with some who've posted this same idea on Autoblog many times. Diesel drivetrains cost more, hybrid drivetrains cost more... so it's going to be damned hard to make the extra cost of diesel+hybrid pay off in fuel economy, particularly if you were comparing to a "conventional" hybrid vehicle. At $8/gallon, maybe... though most people would be smarter to just skip on the over-large over-tall vehicles for something more aerodynamic and less massive.
An X5 with diesel+hybrid gets you 43.5... which you could probably get in a 3-series diesel wagon without the hybrid baggage and cost. There's definitely some cool factor to it, and the idea of driving the front wheels with the electric boost and the rear with the combustion engine sounds interesting, but there's probably a reason it hasn't been done. You'd still need some sort of power transfer to the front wheels, if you just mount big electric motors on them you bump the unsprung weight WAY up and the ride and handling go to hell. You'd also have to have a very efficient freewheeling of the rear wheels to let the front wheels do all the regen braking.
DKB_SATX @ Feb 21st 2008 6:04PM
Clarification: the idea to drive the front wheels w/ electric motors in lieu of Xdrive was posted by Chris in the comment linked below, not by the author of the original article. http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/21/geneva-08-preview-bmw-twin-turbo-diesel-hybrid-x5/comments/10595781/
C\\\'Est Raoul @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:23AM
Finally just do like Europeans do...
Lets just scrap dumb SUV...
People are willing to pay for this, capitalism is a great system to take money away from dumb people...
Eric Biran @ Feb 21st 2008 11:03PM
Actually, it has been done already. All those Lexus RX400h and Toyota Highlander Hybrids rolling around have the reverse system--FWD gasoline/electric hybrid with electric only RWD. No driveshaft to the rear axle.
This is effectively AWD without the hardware, but as you'll see in the disclaimers on their pages, neither of these vehicles is rated for offroad use because the electric motors may overheat in that configuration at slow speeds. This makes them even less capable than even their FWD based AWD non-hybrid RX and Highlander counterparts.
http://www.lexus.com/models/RXh/detailed_specifications.html
http://www.toyota.com/highlander/specs.html
nardi @ Feb 21st 2008 6:34PM
Cant believe that it is taking so long for an auto maker to bring a diesel hybrid to the market, a few manufactures (Honda & Toyota for a start) already have diesels and hybrids why not combine the two. On the price thing, many people in Europe will willingly pay a bit more to avoid $8/gal and to be able to gloat that they have the most 'green' car available, I mean, people pay for a Prius and that is a total piece of crap. Stick a BMW or Mercedes badge on it and you can charge what you like.
Eric Biran @ Feb 21st 2008 11:24PM
While pairing up two fuel efficient technologies like diesel and hybrid electrics seems like such a good idea it should be obvious, I don't think they quite compliment each other as well as it would seem. At least not in parallel.
What people fail to realize is that diesels and electric motors have the same strengths and weaknesses. They both make big torque compared to horsepower output, and they both do so at very low RPMs. They also both run out of steam or are less effective at higher RPMs. That and both are more expensive alternatives to gasoline engines which both are heavier. Combine those and you get a car with lots of low end torque that takes plenty of time to rev up, is heavy, and expensive.
Kudos to BMW for getting this thing to 60mph in 8.9 sec, that can't have been easy, but I would guess a similar production setup would probably take more than 10 sec to reach that speed, especially without li-ion batteries or an 8 speed transmission.
If, however, this were done in series, a diesel would be very efficient to charge up a battery pack providing juice for an all electric powertrain. If BMW can prove me wrong with a production model though, more power to 'em.
carguy @ Feb 21st 2008 6:42PM
That 43.5 are European mpgs - it would be more like 36 mpg by US measure.
Still - it just goes to show that if you're prepared to use your brain then you can meet the new CAFE standards and still sell SUVs.