| By :
Craig Clemmings
A new 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is really a hybrid that will never remind you of a Prius in virtually any shape or form. Gas efficiency is exactly what you think of when you think hybrid however the BMW hybrid is not that fuel efficient. Although the 2011 ActiveHybrid 7 will save on fuel when compared with its other 7-series siblings, its ride in stop and go traffic is iffy and the power steering gets turned off in idle stop. It can do a good job of combining raw car power with the fuel efficiency of hybrid technology but there are numerous quirks that get in the way. The additional power that is supplied by a hybrid system is normally used by most automakers to have a smaller gasoline engine, but not BMW. BMW made a decision to use the extra power created by the electric motor to make the car go even faster instead of using it to reduce fuel consumption. A new 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 comes with the same engine, a twin turbo direct-injection 4.4-liter V-8, as the typical BMW 750i. The only difference is definitely the electric powered motor that's powered by the 120-volt lithium ion battery pack. This features much more horsepower than a 750i and provides much better fuel economy. Despite being a hybrid vehicle, the ActiveHybrid 7 doesn't drive in pure electric mode in any situation. It is just like the Integrated Motor Assist System of the Honda, where it offers boost when it is speeding up, and when it stops it lets the engine turn off. As being a driver, you would not think the ActiveHybrid 7 is a hybrid up until you see a blue area on the fuel gauge indicating that electricity is being regenerated. When the car stops at a traffic light, you'll know that it is a hybrid, by the engine going noiseless and the tach needle drops to zero. As soon as you take the foot from the brake, the engine comes back on quickly which is impressive considering the size of the engine. While you're sitting at a traffic light that is really prolonged, that is when the idle stop system is effective, but not quite as well in stop-and-go traffic. It is nice to have the engine shut off as you sit there stopped, but it becomes a nuisance when it shuts down for 5 seconds at a time, and this takes some getting used to. The performance of your car may also take some getting used to because it has a tendency to lunge forward even with a slight tap on the accelerator. Just how the car is created, it is not a green car but yet a car that uses the hybrid system to add more power while improving fuel efficiency somewhat. When you think of a hybrid, you think of fuel efficiency, and even though the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is more efficient that the standard BMW 7-series, it only gets around 20 miles per gallon. That may be good mileage for a high end luxury car but that is not really very good as a hybrid.
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