BMW's green models cruise into view

The BMW X1 xDrive 25Le comes with undoubted sports performance powered by eBoost technology. [Photo provided to China Daily]

German brand strengthens its new energy plan

Eastern China's demonstration pilot zone of ecological civilization recently hosted the first fleet of BMW Brilliance's third new energy model, with the cars promoting the sustainable future being developed by the brand's pioneering technologies.

Themed Electrifying Driving Pleasure, 20 BMW X1 xDrive 25Le wandered through the Dongtan Birds National Nature Reserve on Shanghai's Chongming Island on Nov 30, with no emissions thanks to eDrive technology.

The quiet fleet, moving slower than 60 km/h as required, attracted the interest of visitors to the park rather than alarming the animals.

The all-new BMW X1 xDrive 25Le sports activity vehicles (SAV) added some class to the drive through the natural reserve for migratory birds. The plug-in hybrid vehicles' Max eDrive full electric mode ran harmlessly through the nature reserve using renewable resources, including wind and solar power, under a low carbon emission strategy.

Johann Wieland, CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd, led the new energy fleet in the two-day event, and he believes the model has ushered in new electric technologies.

"It's a window through which to see the future of mobility," Wieland said. "It underlines BMW's commitment to e-mobility, and the pioneering role we have in the Chinese automobile industry.

"As a member of global society, we take environmental protection seriously."

The German auto brand is leading the industry as the first premium car manufacturer to launch an e-mobility strategy in China. BMW Brilliance is fully committed to promoting e-mobility and has been making solid progress.

BMW X1 xDrive 25Le, the first plug-in hybrid premium compact SAV, was developed simultaneously with the successful all-new BMW X1 that was launched in the first half of this year.

"The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle model is expected to set the benchmarks in the segment in terms of electrifying driving pleasure and sustainability," Wieland said.

"It stands for the latest capacity we can offer in the field, and will be an ideal choice for Chinese customers."

The model has achieved a comprehensive fuel economy of 1.8 liters per 100 kilometers, according to the company.

Surprisingly, the fleet in the event further cut petrol consumption to 0.6 liter per 100 km, thanks to the Max eDrive full electric mode working with the 14.7 kWh capacity i Technology lithium battery.

However, the car is engineered to be a splendid combination of xDrive and eDrive technologies with great handling, powerful performance and efficiency. BMW X1 xDrive 25Le, as a PHEV SAV, comes with undoubted sports performance powered by eBoost that helps acceleration at the start.

The BMW X1 xDrive 25Le is the fifth member of the company's new energy family, after the first plug-in hybrid premium business sedan, the BMW 530Le, was launched in 2015. Currently, the family has nine variants of the five-model series, including the imported BMW i3, i8, X5 xDrive 40e and 740Le.

Wieland pointed that, "If you visit our plants in Shenyang, you will find numerous innovations are in place to reduce energy consumption. The products we produce are the most environmentally-friendly too."

The joint venture will roll out the high-voltage battery production line in the Shenyang plant, making the company the only premium brand to assemble batteries in China. A team of more than 500 is supporting research and development and testing of the new energy vehicles in the Shenyang R&D center, and they are working around the clock to seek new solutions for individual mobility and to protect the environment, according to the joint venture.

"With our strong local research and development team, more new energy products will be built by BMW Brilliance in China," Wieland said.

He added that in last two years, BMW Brilliance has maintained its pole position in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's ranking of fuel consumption by car manufacturer fleet.

The carmaker is set to present the next Zinoro 60H to the public early next year. Its predecessor, the Zinoro 1E, which was tailored for the Chinese market in 2014, was the first premium full electric SAV carrying the first premium new energy brand.

BMW Brilliance has a long-term and comprehensive new energy vechicle strategy with efforts to extend the development of charging infrastructure. By the end of this year, there will be 1,500 networked charging pillars built in China. Known as BMW ChargeNow, the network will continue to grow in 2017.

New products such as the cutting-edge connectivity app, BMW Connected, are also set to be launched by the end of this year, with unique functions for the PHEV model.

BMW Connected will help the driver find public charging stations, check their availability and offer navigation assistance. The user will be able to monitor the status of the car, its range and current battery levels.

Optimal battery and cabin temperature, preconditioning and departure time can also be set in the app. When the users get into the car, its interior will be welcomingly warm in winter or comfortably cool in summer.

Joseph Zheng, vice-president, digital services and business models of BMW China Service Ltd, said: "BMW has been in the leading position in the automobile connectivity field with longer than 40-year history and more than 15-year distance service specialty."