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The new 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is actually a hybrid vehicle that bears little resemblance to a Toyota Prius or other similar hybrids. Fuel efficiency is exactly what you think of when you think hybrid nevertheless the BMW hybrid is not that fuel efficient. The 2011 ActiveHybrid 7 is actually the most fuel-efficient of the 7-series model, but its power steering is shut down by the idle stop feature, and it doesn't work well in stop-and-go traffic. It will do a good job of incorporating raw car power with the fuel efficiency of hybrid technology but there are numerous quirks that get in the way. The use of an electric powered motor in a hybrid implies that the gas-powered motor is smaller but in the case of the BMW, it is not. Most hybrids minimize gasoline costs even when maintaining power, but BMW saw the extra power, and decided to make their cars go faster. The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 contains a twin turbo direct-injection 4.4-liter V-8 engine which is the same as the standard BMW 750i The only difference is definitely the electric powered motor that's powered from the 120-volt lithium ion battery pack. It features more horsepower than a 750i and provides much better fuel economy. In spite of being a hybrid car, the ActiveHybrid 7 isn't going to drive in pure electric mode in any situation. It is similar to the Integrated Motor Assist System of the Honda, where it adds boost when it is quickening, and when it stops it lets the engine power down. When driving, there will be no idea that it is a hybrid except when you see a blue are in the fuel monitor to show that electricity is being regenerated. However when you arrive at a stop, you will feel the engine go silent and the tach needle go to zero. Inspite of the size of the engine, the vehicle starts up very smoothly when you take the foot off the brake pedal. While the idle stop system works well at a long stoplight, it won't do so well in stop-and-go traffic. It is useful to have the engine shut down 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. It also takes getting used to the level of power, because the vehicle lunges forward with the slightest touch of the accelerator. How the car is designed, it is not a green car but rather a car that uses the hybrid system to add more power while improving fuel efficiency somewhat. Any time you think of a hybrid, you think of fuel efficiency, and even when the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is more efficient that the standard BMW 7-series, it only gets around 20 miles per gallon. That is certainly good mileage for a top quality luxury car but that is not very good as a hybrid.
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