BMW 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid to enter series production in 2013, only for China

April 6, 2011April 6, 2011 Omar Rana 2011 Shanghai Motor Show, 5-Series, BMW 5-Series, BMW 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid, BMW 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid Prototype, Concepts, electric-cars, electric-vehicles, plug-in hybrids, Sedans

Last month BMW confirmed that it will be showing a long version of the BMW 5-Series as a plug-in hybrid at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show and well, here it is (at least the side angle of it). A joint project between BMW Group and Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., the BMW 5-Seres plug-in hybrid sedan features a parallel hybrid drive set-up with a combustion engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo technology with an electrical motor.

Based on the long wheelbase version of the BMW 5-Series, the model is developed exclusively for the Chinese market and produced at the Shenyang site.

Power for the BMW 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid Prototype comes from a parallel hybrid system, which consists of a 214-hp engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and an electric-motor with an output of 94-hp. When running on electric-power alone, the BMW 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid Prototype can travel 46 miles at speeds of up to 37 mph. When the battery is depleted and the gas tank is full, the BMW 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid Prototype is capable of traveling an additional 248 miles, which BMW says is in line with the driving profile of Chinese customers in the premium segment.

BMW is running a number of projects to support the market launch of electrically-powered vehicles in China and the prototype of a plug-in hybrid sedan is the first part of the BMW’s electromobility strategy for the county. The worldwide MINI E fleet trial was extended to China at the beginning of 2011 and will be joined by the BMW ActiveE electric 1-Series later this year.

Series production of the long wheelbase BMW 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid is expected to start in China in 2013.