First of all it's design is original, looks are modern but not so much as to repel the prospective buyer. If you look closer you can see a slight resemblance to an older BMW model the 850i.
Here are the key facts of the BMW i8:
- It's a plug in hybrid, electric motor and combustion engine. The combination of BMW eDrive technology and a BMW TwinPower Turbo 1.5 Liter, three cylinder petrol engine.
- It's scissor doors are made of aluminum, carbon and thermoplastic, they are approximately 50% lighter than conventionally built doors.
- Lightweight construction, the passenger compartment is made of a carbon fiber composite. Carbon fiber composite is up to 50% lighter than steel and approximately 30% lighter than aluminum, yet provides the same stability and crash-safe material properties.
- The LifeDrive architecture is made up of two units. (1) the drive module, an aluminium chassis with the electric motor located in its front section. In the rear part of the drive module is the three cylinder petrol engine. Joining the two sections is the high-voltage battery. (2) the life module, an ultra light passenger cell made of high-strength carbon.
- 50:50 axle load distribution.
The BMW TwinPower Turbo 1.5 Liter three cylinder petrol engine, (all new) the "engine management guarantees optimum charge changing processes across the ignition point and ensures a rapid response from the turbocharger." During operation the maximum output of the engine is 170 kW (231 hp) and up to 320 Nm of torque. The best part of this engine is it's outstanding efficiency with a combined consumption of only 2.1 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of 49 g/km.
Driving is possible up to a range of 37 km on the electric motor alone. With a maximum speed of up to 250 km/h, power is delivered to all four wheels (see next paragraph).
There are three driving modes comfort, eco pro, sport, and the eDrive button optimizes the vehicle's properties to suit the driving situation.
With the eDrive button pressed, 100% electric driving is possible with power delivered to the front wheels only. The hybrid mode allows the intelligent combination of two types of drive (electric and petrol) that provide optimal traction in every situation.
The electric drive is located on the front axle, while a high-performance 3-cylinder engine works at the rear axle. All four wheels can thus be powered simultaneously by two engines.
The price? It will set you back $137,450 US, $145,000 Canadian, 126,000 Euros in Germany or 99,125 British pounds.
Further information on the BMW i8 can be found on BMW website by following this link: http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicles/i/i8/2014/showroom/technical_data.html
All photos curtsey of BMW website.
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