BMW's First Hybrid to be a Diesel?

The battle between supporters and non-supporters of hybrid technology isone that continues to grow. Some believe that hybrid technology is the way to go, for its ability to reduce the use of the gasoline portion of the powertrain, and for its resultant low CO2 emissions. The popularity of the hybrid is being reflected widely in the media; celebrities, dignitaries, heads of state and other important people have taken to driving a hybrid vehicle to show their supposed responsibility to our planet. However, non-supporters feel that the whole picture isn't being displayed. To each positive point, non-supporters seem to have a negative, such as hybrids aren't as economical under real world conditions as they're painted out to be. There are also issues of “whole life” emissions, such as the amount of pollution that remains at the end of the car's life, not to mention the issue of cost.

One brand that's expressed its wariness towards hybrid technology is BMW. The automaker has invested considerable amounts of money into researching different ways to use electrical energy to assist a standardinternal combustion engine, such as the Efficient Dynamics hybrid, which uses capacitors to store and release energy as demonstrated in the original X3 concept vehicle. Just the same, BMW committed to developing a more conventional hybrid drivetrain system with GM and DaimlerChrysler way back in 2005, designed specifically for top-end, large, rear-wheel drive cars and SUVs. But despite these seemingly linear advancements, BMW isn't quite as pro-hybrid as Toyota and Lexus, as reservations were expressed in a recent interview between Autocar magazine and a senior engineer at the German automaker.

BMW realizes that hybrids have their forte, particularly in the city during slow stop and go driving, but they show their flaws at higher speeds. The engineer said that overall, the brand's diesel engines are more economical than hybrids. This poses an interesting question: having sunk plenty of money into hybrid RandD, will BMW develop a hybrid vehicle?The answer is uncertain, but it's leaning towards “yes”. BMW is expected to build a hybrid – a diesel-electric hybrid – but only if it is able to make it more efficient and more cost-effective than a regular, unassisted diesel engine. What's meant by this is BMW won't commit to hybrid technology unless it can make it more economical under real world conditions.

The interview revealed that the diesel-hybrid vehicle should be ready to go by 2010, but that the brand hasn't yet said which car will feature the technology. Sources have suggested that the first vehicle will be the 5-Series sedan, followed by the X5 SAV, which seem to be the two most logical choices. A growing number of automakers, including Porsche and Volkswagen, are working on hybrid powertrain vehicles. With diesel-electric hybrids in its range, BMW could not only effectively combat other automakers, but the combination of a high-mileage diesel hybrid would appeal to performance enthusiasts and environmentalists alike. The cost issue, however, might prove problematic.