BMW aims to slash carbon emissions

• More stop-start cars from BMW
• Regenerative braking on more cars, too
• Eventually both will be standard on all cars

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BMW will add fuel-saving technology to even more models this autumn, as it continues the drive to reduce the average carbon dioxide emissions of its range.

A device already found on some BMWs that automatically switches off the engine when the car is standing in traffic, then restarts it when you are ready to move off, will make its way on to more models.

There will be also more widespread use of indicators that tell you when to change up a gear to get the best fuel economy. The energy created when braking will be used to charge the battery in a greater number of models, too. Both currently feature on a limited number of models.

BMW says four out of every 10 cars it sells in Europe by autumn will have carbon dioxide emissions of less than 140g/km. The fuel-saving measures are not at the expense of performance, either: despite carbon dioxide reductions of up to 23%, power outputs have in many cases increased.

The changes will mean that every four-cylinder, manual-gearbox BMW and 3 Series and Mini - petrol or diesel - will have the automatic stop-start system and gearshift indicator, while brake energy regeneration will be standard on the 1, 3, 5 and 6 ranges as well as the X5 4x4.

BMW is now looking at ways of making the stop-start system work with cars that have an automatic gearbox or more than four cylinders.

There are technical challenges - making it work with the hydraulics of an auto gearbox, or crank the large starter motor that would be needed with a big engine - but BMW believes stop-start technology, combined with the gearshift indicator, can bring sizeable reductions in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

The aim is to eventually have both features standard on all BMWs.


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