Hybrid models will not be part of the BMW range for the foreseeable future, the company has revealed.
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Instead it will focus on what it calls EfficientDynamics, a package of technologies and energy management systems designed to improve the effectiveness of the vehicle.
And the firm has revealed it will spread through BMW’s model range as it’s renewed.
Speaking about the facelifted 5-Series that went on sale last month, Jim O’Donnell, BMW UK’s managing director, explained: “Noticeable design improvements have been combined with EfficientDynamics to provide tangible performance benefits.”
He said increases of up to 25 per cent in fuel economy and emissions results would save drivers hundreds if not thousands of pounds a year.
O’Donnell added: “We believe customers prefer the driving experience of an ultra-efficient internal combustion engine rather than a hybrid car, with all the associated weight of the battery and motors.”
To prove the point, he compared the new 535d with a Lexus GS450h. “The BMW offers a better driving experience thanks, in part, to its 200kg weight advantage, lower emissions and superior fuel efficiency. And it’s all for nearly £5,000 less,” argued O’Donnell.
EfficientDynamics includes Stop & Go which cuts the engine – for example, at traffic lights – to conserve fuel. There’s also Brake Energy Regeneration, which saves the energy that’s normally lost when the car is slowed by the driver.
