BMW Vision EfficentDynamics a mobile billboard

…will be the German company’s headline act in Melbourne.

The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009 as a mobile billboard for the car maker’s greenest technologies.

It will go on sale in 2013 as BMW’s research and development "skunkworks" accelerates the translation of outrageous ideas into innovative engineering.

In the case of the Vision EfficientDynamics, that means a plug-in diesel electric powertrain with a synchronous motor driving the front axle and a full hybrid engine powering the rear. Lithium-polymer batteries are mounted along the length of the chassis and BMW says they can be charged via a regular power socket in just 2.5 hours.

The batteries give a range of 50 kilometres, which extends to 700km when the 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbodiesel kicks in.

Unlike more conventional hybrids, the Vision EffficientDynamics makes no concessions to the driving experience while still delivering one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road.

Peak power is 241kW, which propels the lightweight 2+2-seat sports car from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds – as fast as a Porsche 911.

More impressively, it achieves that performance while using 3.74L/100km and emits just 99g/km of CO2.

BMW was one of the pioneers in efficient powertrains, and for the past six years it has been judged the most sustainable car maker in the world by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

A new BMW sub-brand, identified by the "i" badge, will go on sale in 2013. Initially there will be two models: the electric-powered i3 urban runabout with a range of 160km and the Vision EfficientDynamics, which will go into production as the i8 as a vehicle for drivers looking for more range and performance.

"This is a vehicle that proves sustainable motoring can still be an enthralling experience," BMW Australia managing director Phil Horton says.

With the recent announcement of the new sub-brand BMW i, the BMW Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company. This revolutionary approach will produce purpose-designed and built vehicles for sustainable, premium mobility, heralding a new era for motoring.