The ActiveHybrid X6 is the most powerful hybrid vehicle on the planet today. The hybrid boasts of 485 horsepower and an amazing torque of 575 ft-lb. The figures come as a combo of a 407hp V8 twin turbocharged 4.4L engine and a electric motors with 91 and 86hp.

We are not here to tell you about the specs of the hybrid but give you a glimpse of how it performs:

Performance

The ActiveHybrid X6 zooms from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 5.6 seconds. This is at par with the xDrive 50i. The transmission of the vehicle worked like any other automatic transmission with the engine reacting well with the shifting and throttle very well.

If you will depend only on the battery pack, the vehicle can run for 1.6 miles and cruise at 37 mph.

Fuel Efficiency

During a test drive on mixed road conditions, the ActiveHybrid X6 averaged 20.4 miles. This performs better than any other BMW X6 running with a V8 coupled with six-speed transmission. Cruising on the freeway plotted 21 mpg. The overall efficiency is 20% better than any other X6 in BMW’s fleet.

Other factors like the looks, handling, and other accessories get two thumbs up. BMW succeeded in making a BMW hybrid that is non-hybrid.

Daimler’s hybrid bus Orion VII has been making waves since its launch and has now accepted more 3000 orders for it. About 2200 hybrid buses from Daimler are already on the streets while about 850 units are being awaited for roll out. Backlog of orders comes from several municipalities from Seattle, Houston, New York, Ottawa, and Puerto Rico.

Daimler is now the global manufacturer of hybrid buses. Houston, for example, runs 56 hybrid Orion VII on their streets with pending orders for 120 more buses that are expected to come through 2011. Puerto Rico also placed their order for 40 hybrid buses.

The heart of the diesel-electric Orion VII is its propulsion system called HybriDrive made by a company from Johnson City in New York, the BAE Systems. The essential series of components of the Orion VII are the diesel engine with 6.7L displacement, the generator, the electric engine, and the storage system for the lithium ion batteries.

The different parts of the bus have been optimized for the operation of the Orion VII. The acceleration and deceleration is primarily dependent on the electric motor of the bus. This ensures greener and cleaner operation achieved through maximum efficiency.

The hybrid buses might help in gradually decreasing the consumption of fuel for any town which may elect to use them. New York City currently employs 1,250 units of Orion VII for their transport system, and they still plant to acquire about 425 units by first quarter of next year.

Daimler commits itself to continue harnessing the hybrid technology for the production of greener buses and more fuel efficient usage of vehicles the road.

Blind people will hear you coming in your soundless engined car...

Hybrid vehicles might be the ride of choice for gangsters in television shows where they can go and leave unnoticed. In real life though, people are complaining of the dangers the silent hybrid engines. Imagine crossing the street without hearing a vehicle’s sound, and the next thing you know is a bumper near your knee.

Companies like Lotus designs gadgets to provide engine noise for the silent vehicles. Japan is even thinking if it should make the device mandatory for all hybrid vehicles to improve safety on the road.

The root of the problem is on the design of the electric engine of the vehicles. Running on electric power alone, the car does not produce any noise when cruising on low speed. The quiet cruising of the EV has been an issue especially for visually impaired persons walking on the street.

Visually impaired persons depend on sounds when they walk on the street and they have petitioned to the government to make the streets safer for them as they consider the popular hybrid cars in Japan as dangerous.

The Japanese government has formed a team of experts, vision impaired, police, representatives from the auto industry, and consumers to discuss the best solution to the problem. So far, it has been a consensus that a sound making gadget be added to the hybrids.

Lotus has developed a technology coined Safe and Sound which uses speakers and microphones to make sure that people outside will hear the vehicle coming. The advanced system still allows for a quiet ride for the occupants of the vehicle. No hybrid vehicle has utilized this feature so far.