BMW ActiveHybrid Tech Hits Australia With 5 Series, 3 And 7 Coming

BMW's green revolution is spreading to Australia, with the upcoming October launch of its new ActiveHybrid 5 sedan. 

And, later this year, an ActiveHybrid version of the 3 Series will also debut, while early 2013 will see the arrival of the 7 Series version.

Revealed at last year's Geneva Motor Show, the ActiveHybrid 5 combines an electric motor with a powerful petrol engine, focusing on big performance and small-car fuel consumption.

The green sedan's hybrid system sees a 40kW electric motor paired with the same 225kW turbocharged six that drives the 535i, offering a combined 250kW of power. 

Together, the system offers 450Nm of torque, yet fuel consumption is listed at between 6.4 and 7.0 l/100km, compared to 8.4 l/100km for the regular 535i. 

The ActiveHybrid system is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and BMW promises a 0-100km/h time of 5.9 seconds - a match for its petrol-only stablemate.

You'll need to be especially drawn to the image of owning a hybrid, though, as the diesel-driven 535d is a fair match for the ActiveHybrid 5.