BMW Active Tourer 225xe: space and ecology, proof

The BMW 225xe shows its best side in the city, where it operates with great ease, space and ecology. Consumption outside it turns against them.

He Active Tourer BMW 2 Series 225xe It is a hybrid plug and urban minivan. It is remarkable that single plug-in hybrid minivan there now in our market is BMW. Not a negative, quite the opposite, as the world moves and not to go against these things and more when the house continues to offer its usual range, but it is still surprising that it is the only not and that either the BMW sport but because common brands in the minivan product is no longer available a plug-range and even simply hybrid. The fact is that BMW is ahead of all with the new 225 Xe, a plug-in hybrid and all-wheel drive. Hybridization of this Serie 2 Active Tourer It is achieved by combining a three-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor located in the rear. There is no mechanical connection between them, in the style of what makes Peugeot with its RXH and Volvo with the V60, so the greater difficulty of development in this model is coordinating the work of the two mechanics who can work independently (traction or propulsion) or together (4×4). To this adds one battery function external load, whereby certain mileage to zero emissions and ensures that, as we shall see in the test, is the most interesting point of this 225 Xe. We try to understand this car, which is not easy.

It combines a gasoline engine three-cylinder turbocharged 136 horses with an electric “huge” 65 kW achieve a combined output of 224 horses. Unlike what happens in most hybrids, there is an electric motor attached to the thermal drive itself. What does lead is an alternator starter, as well as recovering energy and start the internal combustion engine in certain situations need torque at full throttle from standstill, for example, you can add up to 15.3 mkg to the system during briefly. It has a lithium ion battery that, besides working for the hybrid system, it allows fully electric theoretical autonomy of almost 30 km, as initially it indicated the car itself. This autonomy is achieved with a recharge time 3 hours in a conventional plug.

The hybrid system has the BMW 225Xe three operating modes the driver decides to blow button. By default it sets the Auto e-Drive, in which the car will move up to 80 km / h in electric mode until battery exhausted, from there the electrical operation will depend conduction, as in a conventional hybrid. Mode Max eDrive 2 Series becomes a pure electric, with a limited top speed to 125 km / h. The way Save Battery We can leave the car in hybrid mode while retaining the battery charge, to use electric range when it suits us. In this mode if the battery is below 50 percent, it is set to automatically recharged using the power recovery and the heat engine. To this is added the Sport, Comfort and Eco Pro usual, who prioritize driving style. In the Eco Pro also activates the driving sailing, thereby leaving the car in neutral with the engine off to gently lift off the throttle.

On a Series 2 Active Tourer conventional physically changes in relation to the location of the battery, that is under the rear seats. So the bench is fixed and the height is reduced by 4 cm, something that does not involve big problem since leaving 93 cm to the ceiling are more than enough. The trunk loses 30 liters, although important are not decisive. Nevertheless the fuel tank passes from 51-36 liters.

The performance It is spectacular in electric mode. It’s like driving an electric i3; nice, quiet, eco-friendly, with the dynamic quality of an entire BMW and space of an Active Tourer. With this finish and details M Sport see it too hard for the orientation of the car, but dynamically defends very well. Without the M package saved 3,246 euros, we gain comfort and stability continues to provide quality. Autonomy with battery charged butt usually around in town the 15- 20 kilometers, depending on our driving. Personally I could not do more than 17 km in all tests I did, all the normal driving, without seeking the greatest efficiency. With that distance in a city like Madrid you have left over for your daily efforts, provided they do not transport live, claro.Una after exhausting the load, not surprisingly, it begins to consume gasoline. If you do the average of the first 100 km manage consumption below 4 liters without much difficulty. The wonderful initial efficiency recedes as you’re increasing the distance; They are 136 bhp electric supply in a car weighs 1,759 kilos whopping and that GTI has benefits, then it is no surprise you complete the 8 liters of average expenditure in normal driving. If you also take advantage of the great power that has, spending soars. The 225xe uses less fuel than a gasoline engine of 225 horses unhybridized but 2 liters over this same model with 190 hp engine 220d, which is only slightly slower and has a much larger deposit which doubles autonomy.

Ideally take in Battery Save mode (save battery) outside the city or ring roads and switch to Max eDrive (electric). It is a simple operation that involves no laziness and help you consume less gasoline; This is greener, that not cheap because electricity is not free and making those 17 km in electric translated into euro is hovering around 1 Euro, which is almost the same as you do in fuel cost taking into account the average consumption that we measured in our Technical Center. The electrical function allows you to access restricted areas of cities (Or in certain European cities) where you could never get in a car with GTI benefits of this 225 Xe and that is one of its greatest virtues. Further, being hybrid plug is exempt from paying the ticket O.R.A. in Madrid, for example.

Do not look at the 225xe wheel drive car since, even if it is below 130 km / h, 4×4 is focused on efficiency. It is true that security is a plus and helps cornering, especially when stability control intervene, but most of the time act as traction or propulsion. I see in him a very specific use, a car is not so useful for everyone as it is with other mechanical, cheaper and more versatile and does not require a place to plug in. Its price is high, because it offers expensive technology and, for that matter, BMW offers large, because it can. We might consider why BMW has made such a plugin hybrid sports version, not more "rational". The answer is also found in other brands: Why VW hybridizing a Golf GTI to achieve GTE instead of a cheaper version? It is a question of price, because currently the plug-in technology is expensive and the market would make little sense to make a car "cheap" at the price of expensive, so a brand like Toyota or plug is raised to its popular hybrid models; economically compensate them for the moment.

This car will be interested if you make daily trips of less than 100 km and have a place to plug it in these conditions is very good. If you’re traveling with him you can find autonomies of 300 km. BMW has managed to make efficient performance, something understood in a car like the 1 Series and not a family-oriented car. For that you better 218d and 220d recommend the.

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