BMW leads green tech in Korea

By 김연세

Published : Oct. 18, 2015 - 17:02

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BMW Group Korea is bolstering its efforts to secure its position as a pioneer in green technologies by faithfully keeping pace with globally strict eco-related regulations and growing demands for alternative automobile fuel sources.

The local unit is closely communicating with its German headquarters over their global strategy to expand the environmentally friendly vehicles, which would have competitive automobile performance in addition to high fuel efficiency.

One case in point is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which was introduced in the local market this year. It features both low CO2 emissions and state-of-the-art driving experience for BMW enthusiasts.

The BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car (BMW Group Korea)

The plug-in hybrid system of the BMW i8 comprises a three-cylinder, 1.5-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo engine -- making its debut in this model -- combined with the automaker’s initiative, dubbed “eDrive technology.”

A company spokesman said it has developed not only the internal combustion engine and electric motor in-house, but also the power electronics and the battery.

The plug-in hybrid system enables a speed of up to 35 kilometers per hour under normal conditions and a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour on electric power alone. With both engines, the driving range spans to 600 kilometers after a full charge. It takes 4.4 seconds for the car to reach 100 kilometers per hour from zero.

The talk-of-the-town fuel mileage reaches 47.6 kilometers per liter for plug-in hybrid mode and 13.9 kilometers per liter for the hybrid. Carbon emissions are also quite low, with 123 grams per kilometer for the hybrid and 49 grams per kilometer for the plug-in hybrid.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)

BMW leads green tech in Korea

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