In general, hybrid batteries have a lifespan of 6 to 10 years. There are anomalies in both ways, and warranties frequently provide coverage when products don’t live up to expectations. Although the battery cannot be repaired by the average customer, it does provide warning indicators that repair or replacement may be imminent.
In This Article...
BMW i8
BMW created the plug-in hybrid sports automobile known as the BMW i8. The i8 was marketed under the BMW I subbrand and was a member of BMW’s electrified lineup. The BMW i8 production model debuted at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show and went on sale in Germany in June 2014. In August 2014, deliveries to retail consumers in the US started. In May 2018, a roadster variation was released. June 2020 marked the end of production.
The 2015 BMW i8 featured an electronically regulated peak speed of 250 km/h and could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds (155 mph). A 7.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack allowed the 2015 model year i8 to have an all-electric range of 37 kilometers (23 miles) on the New European Driving Cycle. The range in EV mode was 24 km when tested using the U.S. EPA cycle (15 mi). In 2018, BMW upped the battery capacity of the i8 Roadster and Coupe to 11.6 kWh, extending the NEDC electric range to 55 km (34 mi) for the coupe and 53 km (33 mi) for the roadster.
Under the NEDC test, the BMW i8 coupe’s fuel economy was 2.1 L/100 km (134.5 mpg-imp; 112.0 mpg-US), with carbon emissions of 49 g/km. The i8’s combined fuel efficiency was assessed by the EPA at 76 MPGe (3.1 L gasoline-equivalent/100 km; 91 mpg-imp gasoline-equivalent) and 29 miles per gallon (6.7 L/100 km) while it was operating in pure gasoline mode.
The BMW i8 became the most popular plug-in electric sports car in the world by March 2020, with global sales of all variants topping 20,000 units, outpacing the combined sales of all rivals in its sector.
Engineering and Design
Let’s start with the design, which hasn’t altered but probably didn’t need to because the i8 is still startlingly stunning when it’s stopped and even more impressive when the dihedral doors are opened upward.
Although the i8 blends this interior design with the typical levels of BMW functionality, the cabin also offers a sense of the future. It even includes two tiny rear seats for kids since it is a 2+2. In addition, there is a luggage compartment located behind the engine, however it is somewhat small due to the storage of two charging wires.
The outside is stunning, and the interior is also really remarkable. However, the really intriguing technology is hidden behind the skin.
A plug-in hybrid is the i8. This implies that it has a gasoline engine that is linked to a six-speed Steptronic transmission and an electric motor that is driven by a lithium-ion battery and has a two-speed automatic gearbox. The lithium-ion battery’s energy capacity has increased from 20Ah to 34Ah in the most recent model of the i8, and the electric motor’s maximum power has improved by 12hp to 143hp.
You could assume that the ‘traditional portion’ of the i8’s powertrain is similar to a BMW 6-cylinder, 3-liter gasoline engine based on the vehicle’s appearance. But instead, a 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder petrol engine that came from a MINI is sat behind the passengers. a supercar powered by a 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder gasoline engine? Really? But keep in mind that the 231 horsepower of the gasoline engine is complemented by a 143 horsepower electric motor, giving the system a total power output of 374 horsepower. Now that you mention it, it makes more sense. It’s also important to note that the gasoline engine now has a particle filter.
The i8’s ability to transfer its power to the road is another concern. The front wheels receive power from the electric motor while the rear wheels receive it from the mid-mounted gasoline engine. All-wheel drive is created when these two propulsion methods are combined.
The i8 features two powertrains but only 1,535 kg of total weight thanks to its carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell.
In a BMW i8, how many batteries are there?
The 2015 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports vehicle has finally been driven by us, and we were really impressed. But one thing stood out: the size of the automobile. The i8’s footprint is not an accident, it turns out. The BMW i8’s battery pack, which is roughly the size and form of a grandfather clock turned upside down, is literally designed around it. BMW builds 96 prismatic lithium-ion battery cells from Samsung into a 57.5 x 14.4 x 13.0-inch die-cast aluminum box to give the i8 its intended 22-mile electric driving range.
Although the battery pack has a 7.1 kWh total energy capacity, normal consumption is only allowed to reach 5.2 kWh in order to maintain a reasonable service life. The 216-pound pack, together with its aluminum box, runs longitudinally down the middle of the car to protect it from crash damage and make it easily accessible for maintenance. It had to be quite long in order to deliver the needed energy capacity and preserve enough room for people because it could only be so wide and tall without overwhelming the interior.
The 110.2-inch wheelbase produced by adding a motor (one gas, one electric) to either end of the box is only somewhat shorter than that of the BMW 4-series coupe. The i8 is lanky for a sports car because to the distance between its axles; hence, calling it a “2+2” and adding two back seats helps to rationalize its excessive size.
The battery box has no significant structural purpose; if it were tightly fastened to the surrounding construction, it would be difficult to remove for maintenance. As a result, the molded carbon fiber central body must have high, thick sills and structural reinforcements made of formed aluminum throughout to give the necessary bending and torsional strength. The total width is 76.5 inches, which is more than five inches wider than the width of a Porsche 911. This is achieved by adding the 13.0-inch width of the battery box, enough room for two front passengers, and the girthy sills.
The stylishly low roof (the i8 is in the Corvette and 911 range in terms of total height) and the high sills limit the entry aperture’s vertical size, therefore the opening must be wide to allow access to the back seats. The only feasible way to open such a long door without utilizing extra-wide disabled parking spaces is to use unorthodox hinging, but a lengthy aperture necessitates uncomfortably long doors. Options like scissors and gullwing are awkward. The solution used by BMW, which hinges the doors off the sharply sloped A-pillars, is the best compromise.
However, when an i8 pulls up to a fancy bar and the drama doors swoosh open, locals anticipate seeing James Bond or Emma Stone emerge. That is the cost when cutting-edge technology and high fashion combine in the sports-car lane.
OpenWeb was used to import this content. At their website, you might be able to discover the same material in a different format or more details.
How far can a BMW i8 travel on a single charge?
When it was originally introduced in 2014, the BMW i8 was revolutionary. It is still revolutionary today. In media comparison testing, vehicles like the Porsche 911 have been used. But in our opinion, the BMW i8 can’t really be compared to such vehicles because no other vehicle can perform as well as the i8. It has an electric range of up to 34 kilometers. It can travel over 350 miles on the motorway system in the UK and get an average fuel economy of 44.0 mpg while driving in actual conditions (the real-life economy would obviously be much higher over shorter distances with a fully charged battery). On the correct roads, it may provide a really gratifying driving experience. It appears fantastic. The interior is utilitarian and well-designed. And adjusting to it is simple. What other vehicle compares to that? No other car on the market can do this, therefore the obvious response is that. Because of this, the BMW i8 continues to be a nearly ideal representation of what Green Car Guide stands for in terms of vehicles that are both efficient and enjoyable to drive. For this reason, there is no other conclusion than to maintain the Green Car Guide rating of 10 out of 10.
Why did BMW halt i8 production?
On Thursday, the final i8 to be produced rolled out of the Leipzig BMW facility. Actually, the PHEV’s manufacturing was scheduled to stop in the middle of April. However, because of the factory’s closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, manufacturing was delayed until June.
Since manufacturing on the i8 began six years ago, exactly 20,448 vehicles have been sent from the factory. According to a press release from BMW, the final vehicle was an i8 Roadster in “Portimao Blue” and it was sold to a buyer in Germany.
The i8 was the first plug-in hybrid vehicle in the whole BMW Group when it made its debut in 2014. The hybrid sports car was never successful outside of its specialized market due to its intricate carbon body and six-figure base price. The i8 “embodies the departure into electric mobility like no other car,” according to Hans-Peter Kemser, head of the BMW plant in Leipzig. The model served as the inspiration for the current variety of plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Currently, one shift of production for the Leipzig-based BMW i3 produces 116 units per day. Hans-Peter Kemser, the plant manager, claims that if demand for e-cars in Germany increases, production of the i3 might be expanded to two shifts and thus boosted to 250 units per day.
There won’t be a straight replacement for the i8. In the interim, there have been rumors that the 2019 Vision M Next concept car may be produced in large quantities. The BMW board of directors reportedly decided against the 441 kW sports car, also against the backdrop of the Corona crisis, primarily due to “costs and the volume,” according to media reports. However, the hybrid sports car (this time with a four-cylinder petrol engine instead of the three-cylinder in the i8) did not get beyond the planning stage.
Is the BMW i8 a trustworthy vehicle?
i8 BMW’s dependability BMW placed 27th overall in the 2020 edition (down two spots from 25th in 2019), with 20.4% of owners reporting one or more problems within the first year of ownership.
The BMW i8 uses little petrol.
Fuel efficiency and actual MPGe The EPA fuel-economy ratings for the i8 are average for hybrid vehicles but still superior to most sports cars. The roadster achieved 35 MPGe on our 200-mile interstate fuel-economy test and traveled 22 miles solely on electricity.
How many BMW i8s exist worldwide?
Benoit Jacob was the designer of the BMW i8 in production. 2013 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez was followed by the 2013 International Motor Show Germany, where the production model was unveiled. The BMW M1 Homage concept car, which itself pays homage to BMW’s last mid-engined sports car in production before the i8, had a significant effect on its design.
Butterfly doors, a head-up display, rearview cameras, and partially fake engine noise were all features of the BMW i8. Customer car series production started in April 2014. The two-speed electric drivetrain was created and manufactured by GKN. As opposed to LED headlights, it was the first production vehicle using laser headlights.
The i8 had a low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26 and a vehicle weight of 1,485 kg (3,274 lb) (DIN kerb weight). The top speed of the BMW i8 in all-electric mode was 120 km/h (75 mph). The i8 achieved a midrange acceleration from 50 to 75 mph (80 to 120 km/h) in 2.6 seconds when in Sport mode. 250 km/h was the electronically controlled peak speed (155 mph).
In December 2019, one of the restricted Ultimate Sophisto Edition models, the 20,000th i8, was created. On June 11 of 2020, the final i8 left the factory. 20,465 vehicles were made in total, with 16,581 coupes and 3,884 roadsters.