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BMW plans to release a production version of its ActiveHybrid 5 Series "as early as next year," to be followed by a 3 Series hybrid, BMW boss Norbert Reithofer told shareholders this week at the company's annual meeting.

"As early as next year, the new 5 Series will also be available as a full hybrid," CEO Reithofer said. "We are anticipating the hybridization of further models, such as the 3 Series."

The ActiveHybrid 5 debuted as a concept earlier this year at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. BMW already is building the ActiveHybrid X6 and the ActiveHybrid 7 Series.

The growing hybridization of its production vehicles is only one element of BMW's future vision of sustainable mobility, which includes an expansion of electric vehicles under the Mini and BMW brands, as well as the 2013 launch of the sub-branded Megacity vehicle.

Reithofer said BMW will roll out its fleet of Mini E electric vehicles to China and France, and that it will launch a European test fleet of BMW-brand electric vehicles next year.

The CEO told shareholders: "We are reinventing mobility, step by step.... Sustainable mobility can be at least as exciting as conventional mobility."

Inside Line says: BMW wants nothing less than to establish itself as a purveyor of "premium sustainability." — Paul Lienert, Correspondent

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