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bmw hybrid

BMW is realizing that even the most powerful cars on the market need to get greener. After talking about a V6 turbocharged engines for future M models to cut CO2 emissions, BMW has now announced hybrid-drive is also under consideration.

BMW M GmbH is reportedly considering hybrid-drive in the long-term. Currently, output of conventional combination of a gasoline-engine and electric motor is still too low for the high-performance division to put into production models.

According to BMW M GmbH head of development Albert Biermann, BMW is looking to transfer over the technology it will start using in its Formula 1 cars in the 2009 season called KERS. KERS, which stands for Kinetic Energy Recovery System, has a hybrid module consisting of an electric motor, generator and a battery.

The hybrid module is said to be five times smaller and about five times more powerful than in a conventional hybrid. At low speeds, the energy is recovered and saved to the electric-motor and then used later for additional power.

There is no word when BMW will use the technology in production M models.