Details Of The BMW i8 Plug-In Hybrid Sports Coupé

Details of the 2014 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car have been released in the run-up to the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The BMW i8 plug-in hybrid will be powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine, which produces 170 kW and 320 Nm. In addition, an electric motor supplies 96 kW and around 250 Nm. The i8 is able to run using either the combustion engine or the electric motor, but when working in unison the i8 has a maximum of 266 kW and 570 Nm of torque. BMW say the i8 will accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h in under 4.5 seconds, which makes it quicker than the current V8-powered BMW M3 Coupé (even if only by 0.1 second) and has a limited top speed of 250 km/h.

Power from the combustion engine is sent to the rear, while the electric motor drives the front wheels. When working together, a torque vectoring system co-ordinates power from both units to effectively give the i8 all-wheel drive levels of grip.

When driven in solely by electric power, the BMW i8 has a range of 35 km and a top speed of 120 km/h. The battery can be recharged fully in 3.5 hours via a conventional household plug point, or less than two hours if connected to a special BMW i Wallbox. The i8′s average fuel economy when running in hybrid mode is just 2.5 l/100km with CO2 emissions of less than 59 g/km.

The i8′s combination of performance and economy is down to its lightweight and aerodynamic construction. The car’s passenger cell is made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), as are the doors, while the front and rear sub-frames are hewn from aluminium. BMW’s weight saving efforts extended to the smallest details too, like magnesium supports for the instrument pnanel, aluminium screws, nuts and bolts, as well as chemically hardened glass that is 50 percent lighter than standard. All told, the BMW i8 weighs under 1 490 kg. The air-flow optimised bodywork looks rather elaborate, but together with aerodynamically designed 20-inch forged aluminium wheels, the i8 has a drag coefficient of just 0.26.

The BMW i8 is equipped with BMW’s usual array of safety features that includes: DSC (dynamic stability control); ABS (anti-lock braking system); CBC (cornering brake control); DBC (dynamic brake control); brake assist; brake fading compensation and the brake drying function. The BMW ‘Driving Experience Control’ system allows switching between Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport modes, while BMW’s DTC (dynamic traction control) system allows some slippage to the drive wheels for easier pull-off’s on slippery surfaces, like snow or gravel, as well as an element of fun for when cornering.

Following its public unveiling in Frankfurt, the BMW i8 will go on-sale in European markets before the end of 2013, with the U.S. and others to follow.

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