BMW are developing a small hybrid with
BMW and Peugeot Citroen (PSA) have entered in to a joint arrangement to produce a front wheel drive hybrid powertrain and components.
Hybrids may be just a passing fad, but that’s not stopping car makers piling in to them in droves to battle CO2 and emissions targets. For BMW, their hybrid foray has so far been limited to the top end of their range, but that is set to change.
We already know that BMW are developing a small, front wheel drive range which will sit underneath the current 1-Series, and it’s for these cars – and possibly for MINI too – that BMW has embarked on a partnership agreement with PSA (Peugeot Citroen) to jointly develop a small hybrid.
The agreement with PSA, which is specifically to develop front wheel drive electrified powertrains, includes joint development and purchasing in an effort to reduce costs. This agreement is in addition to the recent one to develop a new four cylinder engine family.
BMW and Citroen already share a lot of technology, and this new agreement will enable components like chargers and electric motors to be developed at a quicker rate and more cost-effectively. It should also help standardisation too, with BMW/PSA stuff so ubiquitous others are likely to follow standards set by BMW/PSA.
We’d look to see some elements of this hybrid co-operation turning up not just in the next MINI, 0-Series and 1-Series, but also in the Citroen C3 and Peugeot 208. To name but a few.
What a caring, sharing car world we now live in.
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