2012 BMW Activehybrid X5

2012 BMW Activehybrid X5

2012 BMW Activehybrid X5

2012 BMW Activehybrid X5

2012 BMW Activehybrid X5

The drive system featured in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid consists of a straight-six gasoline engine with TwinPower Turbo technology, eight-speed automatic transmission, and electric drive. Integration of BMW ActiveHybrid technology in a sedan already extremely efficient with its “conventional” combustion engine reduces both fuel consumption and emissions once again by more than 10 per cent. At the same time the electric motor offers a boost function, supporting the gasoline engine in generating particularly dynamic drive power …

Plugging an existing hybrid system into an existing car isn’t quite as easy as plugging into an outlet, but the team at BMW is making it look that way, with the recently-unveiled BMW ActiveHybrid 5 already moving from concept car to testing prototype. As these spy photos show, the car is not significantly different from its conventionally-powered brethren.

Based on the same underpinnings as the new 2011 5-Series, the ActiveHybrid 5 is expected to make its retail debut sometime next year. The hybrid system under the hood pairs a twin-turbocharged …