Mexican Media Brands
Hybrid Future Likely for BMW M Performance Models
BMW AG's high-performance M division is evaluating the use of hybrid drivetrains to meet more stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations.
#regulations #economics #hybrid
Share
BMW AG's high-performance M division is evaluating the use of hybrid drivetrains to meet more stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations.
Some sort of electrification is all but inevitable, Dirk Hacker, BMW M's vice president of engineering, tells Auto Express. But he doesn’t envision the brand’s customers buying an all-electric vehicle anytime soon unless there is a substantial improvement in driving range for the technology.
Future M models must continue to balance power and performance, Hacker declares. He says the added weight of an electrified system must be minimized by reducing weight elsewhere. Preferably, the technology should enhance the core driving characteristics of M-badged vehicles. Hacker says this could include unspecified “special structural” changes to next-generation models.
Hacker didn’t provide the British magazine with a launch timeframe for the first electrified M model. He says there’s no rush to do so, reasoning that it’s better to wait until such a system can meet the sub-brand’s performance requirements.
RELATED CONTENT
-
GM, Ford Evaluate Possible Economic Slump
General Motors and Ford say they have bolstered their cash reserves in case the trade war between the U.S. and China triggers a global recession.
-
Global Car Market to Shrink for 2-3 Years
Global sales of light vehicles will decline year on year through at least 2021, predicts LMC Automotive at its annual outlook conference outside Detroit, Mich.
-
On Lincoln-Shinola, Euro EV Sales, Engineered Carbon, and more
On a Lincoln-Shinola concept, Euro EV sales, engineered carbon for fuel cells, a thermal sensor for ADAS, battery analytics, and measuring vehicle performance in use with big data