2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7,this one has lithium

[cathy521]

It's been a busy day for the PR troops at BMW as embargoes broke in Europe on two of its announcements for the Frankfurt Motor Show. We saw the ActiveHybrid X6 earlier today, and that was followed by the ActiveHybrid 7. The big sedan uses a different electric drive setup from the X6, this one being a mild hybrid co-developed with Mercedes-Benz. The combination of the electric motor and the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 yields 455 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The V8 itself has been upgraded from the standard 400 hp to 440 hp. Unlike the two-mode hybrid system in the X6, this mild hybrid has the single motor sandwiched between the engine and the new ZF 8-speed automatic transmission.

Another difference from the X6 is the use of a 120V lithium ion battery pack rather than the nickel metal hydride unit in the crossover. The hybrid drive should bump the fuel efficiency by about 15 percent overall, putting it at about 19-20 mpg combined while getting to 60 mph in about 4.8 seconds. The ActiveHybrid will be available in both standard and extra-long formats. The production version of the ActiveHybrid 7 will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month and go on sale later this year. There's a video of the new 7 after the jump.