If necessary electric
Many BMW models will be on the road in the future (semi-) electric.
MunichThe semi-electric plug-in hybrid cars have long been considered a solution to the emission problems of the auto industry. Because in theory, the cars can drive in the city center emission-free and fully electric, and yet drivers do not have to give up range, as well as an internal combustion engine is on board.
Also BMW has invested a lot in technology to reduce fleet emissions. Because even in the stricter WLTP test cut the semi-electric models significantly better than pure burners, In company fleets they should replace in the future the diesel. That’s why they are promoted like pure electric cars with a state purchase price and preferred for tax purposes.
But abroad, where the models have been in use for some time, you know the dark side of the technology. Because many hybrid customers drive more often in combustion mode than they would, because the battery is rarely charged. Especially with company cars with a fuel card, drivers pay less attention to fuel consumption. But without a charged battery, the plug-in hybrids are thirstier than pure burners and pollute the environment. A problem for the acceptance of the technique.
In the Netherlands, state support for semi-electric cars was cut back in 2017. In China, the largest BMWSingle-market, there is the promotion yet, but that is the permanent driving in the combustion mode there as a tax fraud.
At the in-house exhibition “NextGen” in Munich, BMW is now presenting a solution for the charging problems of semi-electric models. In future, the on-board computers of the BMW models will detect whether they are entering the environmental zone of a city via a GPS signal – and then automatically switch to electric operation. The aim is to protect hybrid drivers against penalties or entry bans, such as those planned for Paris, London or Madrid.
With the so-called “Geofencing” the car takes the decision from the driver in the future. “The increase in electric driving not only helps to optimize efficiency, but also to reduce operating costs for the customer.
This is especially true for city traffic, where the electric drive consistently achieves a higher efficiency than a gasoline or diesel engine, “explains BMW. First tests in Rotterdam were successfulso that from next year BMW wants to equip each hybrid with the technology.
Plug-in hybrids provide location data
Participation is still voluntary. But who participates will be rewarded with points and discounts. “The BMW Points app motivates PHEV customers in a playful way to exploit the maximum potential of the electric drive,” explains BMW. The points can then, for example, be exchanged for charging current or mobility services.
Incidentally, the new feature could also cause privacy issues. Because the car provides location data that could be further processed by the manufacturer or government authorities. So far, however, BMW assures that the personal data remain the property of the customer.
For Munich, political confidence in technology is important in order to launch the electric offensive as planned. As early as 2023, the carmaker plans to have 25 electric or hybrid models on the market, two years earlier than previously planned. By 2021, the city of Munich plans to double its annual sales from today’s 140,000 electric cars to just under 300,000 electric cars in 2021, including both pure battery electric vehicles and cars with hybrid engines.
“We are accelerating the pace of change towards sustainable mobility and making our company fit for the future: In the past two years, we have consistently made numerous decisions that we are now putting on the road,” said Group CEO Harald Kruger at the in-house exhibition “NextGen”.
Other than about Volkswagen BMW focuses more on plug-in hybrids than on pure electric cars. The combination of burners and electric motors has many advantages for Munich: as long as there are not enough charging stations, the car can continue to be conventionally refueled with diesel or gasoline.
More: The gap left by the diesel is to be replaced by many hybrid drive manufacturers. These are the five types of drive.
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