MHEV is one of the gazillion acronyms that were born in the world of electrified vehicles. When expanded, it reads Mild-Hybrid Electric Vehicle. And that gives away the plot of this BMW-linked development. Believe it or not, none of the current 5 Series models features MHEV tech. Considering that it has been developed to enhance not only mileage but also acceleration times makes the omission seem even more unfathomable. But that will change from November this year. Well, at least in the car’s main markets.

First things first – not all 5 Series variants will gain the MHEV tag. Only those in the 520d portfolio will get it. That means both the sedan and Touring derivatives, with or without all-wheel-drive, will feature the 48-volt starter-generator. BMW hasn’t revealed the power and torque figures for the supporting act as of now. All it said in a release was:

An electric over-boost function injects an extra dose of dynamism when accelerating under full throttle.

As is the case in any MHEV, the car will get an additional battery to fuel the starter-generator. Needless to say, brake energy regeneration will be one of the key highlights. There is one figure that BMW has not shied away from sharing. You guessed it – the fuel savings. As per the company, fuel consumption figures can be cut by up to 0.3 litres over every 100 kilometres of travel. Other benefits, which some might overlook, include lesser vibrations while switching off and on the engine, and no engine noise whatsoever when the car is coasting. No need to think too hard on the latter one as the MHEV tech allows the engine to shut down without disconnecting from the drivetrain.

Interestingly, BMW has chosen the diesel-fed models to kickstart mild electrification of the 5 Series range. It is safe to say that some, if not all, petrol-powered variants will soon earn the MHEV tag too. What is your take on BMW’s strategy for MHEV tech introduction on the 5 series?