Certified CenterBMW has plans to unveil a BMW 3 Series plug-in hybrid prototype in Miramas, France. But their plans are much bigger than one prototype. The iconic car company envisions this prototype as a precursor to bigger and better things, with the goal of offering plug-in hybrid versions of all of their core brand models. To realize their ambitious goals, BMW is combining tech from throughout their vehicle lineup. The BMW 3 Series prototype combines a four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor. The internal combustion engine is based on the TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, which has been voted “International Engine of the Year”—twice. As for the electric motor and power electronics, these are based directly on the BMW eDrive technology currently in the BMW i3 and BMW i8 models.
One of the goals of the brand's efforts is to increase the amount of time their hybrid vehicles spend in electric mode, hence the ongoing development and refinement of hybrid drive systems under the EfficientDynamics programme. The company envisions much more powerful electric motors and batteries capable of twice the capacity realized by current models.
The plug-in hybrid technology BMW is developing will be flexible enough to be integrated in a wide variety of vehicle concepts. With this flexibility, BMW foresees rapid rollout throughout their model range. While all-electric vehicles like the BMW i3 are best suited for urban driving, the plug-in hybrids have longer-range demands in mind.
For BMW, the goal is always one of balance and pushing the envelope. While the company seeks exciting gains in electric efficiency and mobility, their aim is to realize these ambitious engineering feats while retaining the high-performance, fun-to-drive dynamics that the company is known for. As always, we’re excited for the future here at Fields BMW Lakeland, and we can’t wait to see what BMW has in store.