BMW cars are blessed with a range of exciting features. One of the most interesting of which is called ECO PRO. If you’re thinking about buying a BMW, then it helps to understand what this feature does and how it works. So, allow us to explain everything.
ECO PRO mode works by it automatically adjusting settings within your car to make your BMW more efficient. You don’t have to do anything, just turn the ECO PRO mode on, and it will do all the work for you. There’s a section on your display that tells you exactly how efficient you’ve been thanks to this mode.
Funnily enough, ECO PRO is one feature that makes up an overall system in the car. It’s part of the Efficient Dynamics model – and we’ll provide more details on that later in this article. For now, the focus is on ECO PRO.
How BMW ECO PRO works
The above description is a very vague overview of this feature. In reality, so much goes on under the hood of your car when you switch ECO PRO mode on. So, how exactly does it work?
Essentially, this setting will modify the engine’s throttle response to ensure it’s more energy efficient. Not only that, but it alters the settings in your climate control – along with any heated mirrors and seats – to ensure you’re not wasting too much energy.
By altering the engine’s throttle response, this stops you from being overly aggressive when you drive. A lot of people rev the engine too much or are just too harsh with how they put their foot down on the throttle. It might not seem like much, and it may lead to cool sounds from the engine, but aggressive driving burns so much fuel and wastes so much energy.
You can also go into the ECO MODE settings to choose a top speed for your vehicle. This is optional, but it prevents you from going above a certain speed limit. Again, this works to reduce your fuel consumption and improve efficiency.
These are the main features of ECO MODE, but there are two extra things to be aware of:
- Route-ahead assistant
- Coasting function
The Route-ahead assistant is an impressive feature that guides you as you drive. It makes a note of everything that’s ahead of you, providing tips on when you should slow down. Ultimately, it kind of coaches you to be a more fuel-efficient driver!
The Coasting function will cut off the engine power in automatic cars when they’re in the drive gear. If you take your foot off the gas pedal without braking, then the engine is switched off. So, the vehicle can basically coast along without the engine running. As such, emissions are reduced. As soon as the pedal is pushed back down – or the brake is used – the engine switches back on seamlessly.
What is the Efficient Dynamics Model for BMW?
We mentioned it earlier, and ECO PRO is one part of the Efficient Dynamics Model. This is a system within BMW cars that looks to reduce your overall fuel consumption and keep CO2 emissions as low as possible. That’s where the ‘Efficient’ part of the name comes from, but what about ‘Dynamics’?
Well, Efficient Dynamics also looks to improve the driving experience for BMW owners. This includes altering different aspects of the dynamics, such as distributing the weight, improving the steering, providing better braking technology, and so on.
You’ve already seen ECO PRO and the two main features in brings to Efficient Dynamics, but what else is there?
- Automatic Start/Stop: This is a standard technology in every modern BMW. Whenever the car is stopped, the engine turns off. It reduces emissions and lowers fuel consumption.
- Brake Energy Regeneration: An innovative feature that takes the energy you create when braking and converts it to electricity for your battery to charge. As a result, the engine works less than usual, and this reduces fuel consumption again.
- Common Rail Injection: This looks at the fuel injection process and manages it to improve fuel efficiency and provide your BMW with some extra power.
- Electric Power Steering: An electric motor is used to provide you with power steering through corners and around bends. The brilliant thing about it is that it only turns on when you turn. So, when you drive straight, you use up less energy as the power steering system isn’t on.
- Optimum Shift Indicator: A handy feature for manual cars that tells you the best time to shift gears. Believe it not, but this can help you reduce fuel consumption by up to 5%!
As you can see, Efficient Dynamics boasts lots of features that will definitely enhance your BMW!
Does BMW ECO PRO save fuel?
Yes! In fact, that’s pretty much the main point of ECO PRO. It’s very useful for people that almost need to be forced to change their driving habits for the greater good. Setting a maximum speed and using things like route-ahead assistant and the coasting function will help you use less fuel than you normally would.
In general, BMW believes you can save around 20% of fuel just by utilizing ECO PRO. That’s a staggering amount of fuel, and this figure will increase when you call upon other features of the Efficient Dynamics model as well.
Summary
As a summary, we can say that BMW ECO PRO works by reducing fuel consumption and improving your driving habits. It can also reduce energy use in your vehicle, which makes your car more energy efficient. It’s part of the Efficient Dynamics model, which also looks to lower CO2 emissions, make your car more fuel-efficient, and improve the overall driving experience.
ECO PRO has been a standard option in all BMW vehicles for around ten years now. Certainly, if you’re buying a brand new one, then this will be part of it. All in all, it’s a brilliant feature that can help you save a lot of money by slashing your ongoing fuel costs month after month.