How do these devices function then. The triple cylinder engine drives the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission, while the front wheels are powered by the…
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Detailing the BMW i8’s hybrid powertrain in a video
The BMW i8 continues to fascinate us with its style and technology despite being over three years old. Everywhere it goes, the hybrid sports car instantly draws attention, and its distinctive appearance has created a cult among aficionados. The team at Feature Focus has created a thorough film to showcase its high-tech skills.
The i8 has an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that work together to propel you forward. An electric engine with 131 PS and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque is mounted on the front axle, and its only purpose is to drive the front wheels and eventually transport you around town without emitting any pollutants.
The more entertaining portion of the game is powered by a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine on the back axle, which has 231 PS and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque. It exclusively drives the rear wheels and is coupled to an automated transmission with six speeds. The 6-speed gearbox of the internal combustion engine and the 2-speed gearbox of the electric motor were combined by engineers to ensure that the two could operate together and provide the car with up to 362 PS and 420 lb-ft (570 Nm) of torque when necessary.
Additionally, by doing this, they were able to produce a vehicle that can operate as a front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and – for a brief period of time – a rear-wheel drive vehicle. This is feasible because the rear engine is shut off while the vehicle is in Eco Pro mode, relying exclusively on the front electric motor to move the vehicle through town.
The i8 is frequently seen as the auto industry’s future for the same reason. The i8 demonstrated that you don’t need a powerful engine to have fun thanks to its lightweight design, which was largely achieved through the use of CFRP.
The BMW i8’s combustion engine
The performance, usability, and efficiency of the BMW i8 are its main priorities. We are interested in finding out if it drives as well as it looks.
A 1.5 liter, 3-cylinder internal combustion engine powers the i8. The rear axles are powered by its 228 horsepower. The engine has TwinPower Turbo technology, which was developed for the famed BMW M Models.
The high-performance turbocharging system, direct high-precision gasoline injectors, and VALVETRONIC Fully Variable Valve Control make up the gasoline-powered engine. The 6-Speed Automatic Transmission used in this configuration allows for top speeds of about 75 mph.
BMW i8’s technical characteristics
The BMW Group’s next move after the world premiere of the BMW i3, the first I brand production model, will be to expand this solution to the future issues facing personal mobility to the sports car market. The BMW I brand will unveil a prototype of its second production car, the BMW i8, at a driving event at the BMW Group’s test track in Miramas, France.
With a 1.5-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine that is highly turbocharged and uses clever energy management, the BMW i8 incorporates BMW eDrive technology. The BMW i8 achieves low weight while being a plug-in hybrid thanks to a passenger cell made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). It has the dynamic performance of a sports car and can run entirely on electricity. Its predicted 0-100 km/h sprint time is 4.5 seconds.
The plug-in hybrid powertrain is unique to the BMW i8. It represents the next stage in the development of the Efficient Dynamics program and was created and manufactured by the BMW Group. A lithium-ion battery that can be recharged using a regular household power outlet is paired with an electric driving system, a small three-cylinder petrol engine, and BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. The front wheels are propelled by the 96 kW/31 hp electric motor, while the rear wheels receive power from the 170 kW/231 hp gasoline engine. With a maximum speed of 120 km/h and an all-electric driving range of up to 35 km, this configuration is capable of fast driving. The rear wheels are propelled by the more potent of the two engines. The average fuel consumption of the BMW i8 at model launch will be less than 2.5 liters/100 km with CO2 emissions of less than 59 grams per kilometer, according to calculations using the EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles.
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.
EV Performance, Power, and Motor
The i8 from BMW has just one available powerplant. A 1.5-liter, three-cylinder turbocharged gas engine is coupled with an 11.6-kWh battery and two electric motors in this vehicle. With their combined 369 horsepower, the trio of engines can move all four wheels. But it’s not the quickest supercar around: In 4.1 seconds, the 2019 i8 roadster we tested could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. The same mild steering we’ve questioned in many recent BMWs is present in the i8. More feedback is preferred, especially in a vehicle designed with sporting purposes. Surprisingly, the ride is smooth, and road imperfections are felt but never sharply.
How much power does a BMW i8’s engine produce?
A 1.5L three-cylinder engine with 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque powers the BMW i8. Together, these produce 141 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque from a hybrid motor. A total output of 369 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque results from this. With this power, the automobile can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds despite only weighing 3,394 pounds.
The BMW i8’s engine is a bit of a contentious topic. Many people expected the i8 to have one of the V8 engines found in BMW’s M lineup because of its incredibly aggressive and dramatic appearance. The BMW i8 is more of a futuristic look at how sporty hybrids might be sold in the future.
When the electric and gasoline motors are working together, the i8 has a rated fuel efficiency of 76 MPGe. It may lack the power to match the styling, but it excels at being a fuel-efficient vehicle to drive.
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You’ll experience acceleration that is on par with a hot hatch when using only the electric motor. With the three-cylinder engine’s deep, throaty growl and the electric motor’s sci-fi whine, you experience a smooth, muscular acceleration surge when you floor the throttle.
The automated transmission, which provides smooth shifts to provide the impression of an unbroken wave of acceleration, heightens the sense of speed.
The i8 seems light on its feet as you maneuver it through a sequence of curves, with hardly any body roll and a sharp response from the fingertip-light steering. The BMW is more delicate and methodical, requiring only tiny inputs from the driver, in contrast to some competitors that feel as like they are pummeling the road into submission.
The i8 is truly capable even though it isn’t as engaging or adaptable as a 911 or an Audi R8 once you’re in the corner.
Ride comfort is decently good thanks to the included adaptive dampers, and wind noise is minimal because to the BMW’s aerodynamic appearance, which boasts a drag coefficient of just 0.26. However, despite having thin tires, the i8 produces a fair amount of road roar, though not as much as a Porsche 911.
What drives the BMW i8?
The BMW Group has a reputation for building large engine automobiles, but the eco-friendly hybrid i8 has given a whole new meaning to the phrase “sheer driving joy” for the company. By fusing the TwinPower Turbo technology created for their infamous M models with the environmentally friendly eDrive technology, BMW developed the plug-in hybrid, all-wheel-drive idea.
In the BMW i8, a two-stage automatic transmission transfers power from the electric powertrain to the front wheels. On the other side, a gasoline engine connected to a 6-Speed automatic transmission drives the vehicle’s rear wheels. This is the ideal fusion of strength and efficiency.
What does the I in the BMW i8 stand for?
Born Electric served as the tagline for the 2011 launch of the BMW I brand. The letter I which once stood for injection in BMW’s gasoline and diesel engines, is now used to represent the future of mobility. A comprehensive approach to sustainable mobility is embodied by the BMW i. BMW considers not only the final product but also the manufacturing process, which now makes use of 100% green energy, renewable and recycled materials, and digital services while using 70% less water.
The first vehicle in the I Series was the BMW i3, which was introduced in 2014. Due to the combination of aluminum and carbon fiber, the i3 is an eco-friendly electric vehicle for city driving that isn’t any heavier than a regular vehicle. comprising a synchronous electric motor with a single gear and utilizing a 94Ah lithium-ion high-voltage battery (33kWh). It has 170 horsepower, enabling a 0-62 mph time of 7.3 seconds, but it also has a 186-mile range.
Eighty percent of all surfaces visible to front passengers on the i3 are constructed of recyclable or renewable materials, making it a showcase for environmentally friendly products. When it comes to resources, BMW I is also thinking along those lines; starting in 2021, its electric motors will utilize two-thirds less cobalt and no rare earths. One of the most popular high-end electric vehicles in Europe is the BMW i3.
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.