Huh, this could be very interesting.
It seems that BMW is mulling over brining not just a hybrid to the market, but a hybrid roadster. Apparently the rumors are swirling that when BMW rolls out the upcoming Z4 roadster, they will also announce plans for an as yet unmentioned Z2 roadster, based on the 1-series platform. Tapped to use a small displacement 4 cylinder, the Z2 is also rumored to be getting a hybrid drivetrain. Supposedly it will be on the lines of the “mild hybrid system” from the new 7-series debuting next summer. Essentially the “mild hybrid system” is an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and transmission along with a lithium ion battery pack.
OK, seems like it’s do-able as well as being feasible but there could also be some other benifits here. It seems like it’s too simple of a system to provide something really fun/cool like electric boosted standing starts (a la BMW’s KERS system currently testing in F1), but it DOES put a hybrid drive system into a much funner package than Prius.
And to me, that’s a pretty big deal. The more fun you can make being eco-friendly, the better. If you try to sell as “this is something you should do” versus “this is something that’s fun to do” you’ll loose people.
OK, let’s see if this rumor turns out to me true.
Source: AutoBlogGreen
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