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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.
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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.
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