A rare slice of hybrid history, uncovered in a Denver car graveyard
The 2000 Honda Insight was the first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle sold in the United States, with the Toyota Prius following a year later. Some manufacturers were quicker to develop or license hybrid technology, and BMW entered the market with the ActiveHybrid 7, a hybridized 7 Series that debuted as a 2011 model. Recently, one of these rare hybrids was discovered in a Denver self-service boneyard.
I’ve been documenting the early years of U.S. hybrid vehicles by tracking them down in junkyards, and I’ve managed to find discarded examples of rare hybrids like a 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid, a 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line, and a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid. However, these unusual finds are common compared to the V8-powered BMW ActiveHybrid 7.
From the ActiveHybrid 7’s U.S. launch in late 2010 until the end of the first nine months of 2012, total sales reached just 657 units. The Blue Water Metallic paint seen on this Junkyard Gem was exclusive to the ActiveHybrid 7.
For the 2013 model year, the ActiveHybrid 7 replaced its large 4.4-liter V8 with the 4.0-liter straight-six engine from the 740i. What prompted this change?
BMW’s marketing for the 750i/750Li ActiveHybrids took a unique approach compared to their competitors. The 2012 model brochure boldly stated, “Forget everything you thought you knew about hybrids—those slow, unexciting vehicles that compromise performance, space, and luxury for the sake of efficiency.” They were serious; this car was essentially a factory hot rod, using its electric motor to boost total power to 455 horsepower and 515 pound-feet.
The issue was that fuel economy didn’t see a significant improvement compared to the non-hybrid 750s. This model was rated at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway, while the standard 750Li offered 14 and 22 mpg, respectively.
For the modest fuel savings, the ActiveHybrid 750Li carried a list price of $101,100 (equivalent to around $139,994 in 2024 dollars). In comparison, the non-hybrid 750Li in 2012 had an MSRP of $88,200 (about $122,252 adjusted for inflation). While the HYBRID badges might have given owners a slight boost in eco-friendliness for their public image, this was still a BMW 7 Series.
So, it was a highly luxurious, extremely powerful, and rather fuel-inefficient luxury sedan that seemed to be greenwashing for those advocating for reduced carbon emissions, yet it cost tens of thousands more than its all-gasoline counterpart. It’s no surprise that so few were sold!
The six-cylinder ActiveHybrid 7s for 2013 achieved significantly better fuel economy, with 22 miles per gallon in the city and 30 on the highway. While it didn’t approach Prius-level efficiency, it was still impressive for a vehicle weighing nearly 5,000 pounds.
Why is it in such a state after just 12 years? With only 657 V8-powered ActiveHybrid 7s sold nationwide, replacement parts for the hybrid powertrain were likely exorbitantly expensive, if they were available at all. Once a component failed, it was only a matter of time before this car ended up at the nearest Pick Your Part.
