2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 to Be Discontinued

The 2011 model year is the last for the BMW ActiveHybrid, X6 according to BimmerFile.com, a BMW enthusiast website that confirmed the discontinuation with BMW of North America. 

The short-lived hybrid, which was launched in 2009, was BMW’s first foray into bi-powered propulsion. The full hybrid system in the X6 hybrid produced 480 horsepower and a whopping 575 pounds-feet of torque. It can travel on all-electric power up to 1.6 miles at speeds up to 37 mph — much longer and faster than the Toyota Prius. Gas mileage came in at 17/19 mpg city/highway — an improvement of 3 mpg in the city, but a loss of 1 mpg on the highway compared with the regular V-8 model.

The dual-mode hybrid in the X6 was a shared technology developed by Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and GM. As such, a similar system is used in cars like the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, Cadillac Escalade Hybrid and Mercedes ML450 hybrid, among others. None of these hybrids has been a particularly great seller.

Part of the problem may have to do with the hybrid system’s emphasis on power over efficiency and price. Case in point: The 2011 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid starts at $88,900. At that price, you’re only about $1,000 away from the high-performance BMW X6 M which, according to BimmerFile.com, is what many car shoppers opted for instead of the hybrid.

Exclusive: X6 Active Hybrid Exits US (BimmerFile)

Comments

And now it's down to 1...

(If I'm not mistaken, that will be the MB ML450).

Too bad to see this research going to the drain - in a way. Could have seen more hybrid vans, PU, SUV instead...not to mention millions, if not billions of dollars, vaporized...

BMW hybrid diesel. Hopefully that could be a possibility for alternative fuel.

Dream on. They're not even offering a 3 series diesel in the US in 2012, according to one article I read.

Correction.

And now there's none. Even MB ML450 hybrid is gone.

There's five actually.

Tahoe
Yukon
Escalade
Silverado
Sierra

" It can travel on all-electric power up to 1.6 miles at speeds up to 37 mph — much longer and faster than the Toyota Prius..."
Colin,
This statement is incorrect. The Prius can accelerate from a stop up to 37 mph on electric power alone, if you're light on the gas pedal. It will run on electricity only at highway speeds if the road is flat or on a slight incline down. It can also travel at least one and a half miles on the battery only. There's a video on youtube with an owner of the first generation prius disabling his fuel injection system so it runs on battery only. He drives from 0 to 42 mpg on battery power only on the video.

people still needs to adjust to hybrids I guess.

People with the means will not be spending close to 90 grand for a hybrid BMW when for about the same money, they can get the top of the line X6 series, the X6M, aka, the Ultimate Driving Machine.

@ WTF,

I could be wrong, but I do remember a post on GM discontinuing its dual-mode hybrids (SUVs & PUTs) after this model year, earlier this year. The post, not necessarily from kickingtires, indicated that those SUVs/PUTs were sold almost exclusively to fleet customers like government and utilities...

@Amuro,

I recall seeing an article about that too for SUVs and PUTs as you mention, but that GM has adapted the system for FWD and will be selling it again quite soon. (can't seem to find the article now, of course)
Also unclear if they'll continue to use it on buses or not.

@Ken L.
If you think an SUV is "The Ultimate Driving Machine" I feel sorry for your hopes and dreams. Clearly they were crushed by the car seats long ago.

Really beautiful machine!