BMW M Series cars to be hybrid powered in the future
2016-02-10 17:27:43
The modern world has a very dynamic technological landscape where everything is electric and automated in order to increase its power and performance. In recent times, car giants like BMW and Tesla are working towards bringing autonomous vehicles to the automobile industry. The main reason for this is to increase the car’s performance.
For giant auto maker like BMW, the firm has different cars classified into series. They have the hybrid version, M series which in recent times has come up with M3, M4 and M5. According to the company’s vice president, Dirk Hacker, they are working hard to make the M series purely autonomous in order to increase their power and performance. In addition, making the car electric assisted will make the cars move faster, respond to speed responsively while also engaging the driver greatly when driving.
The driving force behind the making of the M hybrid version is to increase the car’s performance according to engineer Hacker. However, the firm is also working towards making the car both consumer friendly while also making the car emit less CO2 to the environment. The hybrid version will have a zero emission capability. On top of this, the car will have a 25-mile electron volt range.
There are challenges to building this type of car. First, BMW lovers are more interested in a car which has a combustion engine. Coming up with an autonomous car means several changes have to be made to the engine in order to accommodate customers’ needs and wants for example cars with combustion engines. Additionally, the car will necessarily not have a pure electric engine. The reason is, there are ongoing tests being carried on purely battery powered cars by several car manufacturing giants. There are no substantial reported yet with regards to a fully battery powered engine.
Another reason is the weight implications the batteries will have on the M series. This is because, before a car is released to the market, the car is tested to check its weight and its effect on its general movement and functionality on roads.
However BMW admits that while there are specific structural solutions it can adopt to ensure car electrification will not affect the car’s performance, there is the factor of general driver’s enjoyment of using the car. Driven by the philosophy of striking a balance of between the performance of the car and its power, BMW is still reluctant in making a pure electric powered car.
M series are light weight cars with a distinct sense of agility. They also got a stable attitude vital for hard cornering, with large disc brakes that come in handy when stopping. They also have a quickened steering ratio that can easily adapt to any driving condition. The weight of a battery powered car may tend to be too much for a vehicle that requires this characteristics for it to have a good power and performance in the long run. So until the time the system is in place, fully integrated in cars and be tested to ensure there are no negative changes to the cars functionality, is when BMW can go further into manufacturing pure electric cars.
Written By
SteveyG
Guest Editor
