Earlier this year we brought you news of BMW's entry into the hybrid market, with the suspected debut of a 7-Series equipped with the automaker’s ActiveHybrid system coming at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Now, BMW has officially confirmed the news, and also revealed that the 2007 ActiveHybrid X6 concept we saw a couple of years ago will also be appearing in production form alongside the 7-Series Hybrid.
BMW has previously claimed that the new mild hybrid system will be able to improve fuel economy by around 15%, and it is expected that the hybrid system will initially be mated to a 4.4L V8 model for the 7-Series. That engine features around 400hp by itself, but a small 20hp electric motor is expected to be added to improve efficiency in low speed situations.
While it's not yet certain whether the same hybrid features, such as regenerative braking, engine stop-start technology and optimized aerodynamics seen on the earlier 7-series ActiveHybrid concept, will make it to production, it is expected that BMW will at least incorporate some of these features in marketing the car.
The Frankfurt Motor Show will also be the platform for other BMW debuts for both the BMW and Mini brands. BMW will be showing off a new environmentally-friendly sustainable sports car concept, while Mini is expected to show a near-production ready version of a new two-seater roadster model for the brand.
