Imagine your ideal vehicle; it probably resembles a BMW i8. Ever ponder the construction process of a piece of machinery? Come along with the How It’s Made team as we visit its origin, revealing the deep struggles… View all Imagine your ideal vehicle; it probably resembles a BMW i8. Ever ponder the construction process of a piece of machinery? Join the How It’s Made team as we visit its manufacturing facility to discover the inner workings and stunning appearance. Imagine your ideal vehicle; it probably resembles a BMW i8. Ever ponder the construction process of a piece of machinery? Join the How It’s Made team as we visit its manufacturing facility to discover the inner workings and stunning appearance.
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.
How It’s Made: Dream Cars – Video Featured BMW’s i8
BMW released a couple of movies in 2014 to educate potential consumers on how the hybrid sports car is created, right as the firm was officially unveiling the i8. In case you missed them, the How It’s Made guys conducted a tour of the manufacturing facility and recorded a 20-minute video of the entire procedure.
The BMW i8 must adhere to the I sub-philosophy, brand’s which calls for vehicles to be both environmentally responsible and constructed as efficiently as feasible. Before even discussing assembly, there are a few factors concerning the i3 and i8’s manufacturing process that you should be aware of.
When built, the two principal components fit together. The Life Module and the Drive Module are both present. The names pretty much explain themselves. The former protects you and your life and is constructed of carbon fiber reinforced polymer, which is essentially a cheaper counterpart of traditional carbon fiber. The drivetrain and batteries are housed in the Drive module, which is constructed of aluminum and other lightweight metals.
Returning to CFRP, BMW chose to build its own power plant at the facility where it is created. Working with its American partner SGL, they used the lakes nearby (the plant is located close to Moses Lake in Washington) to produce the clean energy they required.
The 20-minute video below explains the process of sending the carbon fiber cockpits from the US to Germany where they are put together on the i8 chassis. However, even this facility uses renewable energy and was designed to provide natural ventilation, which would render vents unnecessary and result in much greater electricity savings.
In the end, we get a car that looks incredible, has 362 HP, 570 Nm (420 lb-ft) of torque, gets 121 mpg (2.1 l/100 km), and can even operate in full electric mode, hitting 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.4 seconds.
As spectacular as these figures appear, you should consider how they were created. Enjoy!
How are BMW automobiles made?
The sheet metal components for the bodywork come from the stamping facility. Coils, or extremely heavy rolls of steel and aluminum sheet, are used to start the production process. The bands are originally cut to form boards in the coil systems before being dragged through a series of processes using the most advanced, fully automated high-speed servo presses, bent, and punched. As a result, elements including side frames, doors, hoods, and roofs are molded.
The BMW Group employs a blend of tested deep-drawing steels and high- and higher-strength materials that is function-oriented.
We have already established the framework for our cars’ distinctive design and their incredibly robust yet lightweight bodies throughout item manufacture.
The BMW Group employs the most cutting-edge technology in the world. A plant’s maximum overall press capacity is 10,000 tons.
How much is the BMW i8?
The good news is that the price of the 2020 BMW i8 is same to that of the 2019 model. The bad news is that the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for a brand-new i8 Coupe is still $147,500; add $995 for destination, and the price comes to $148,495 overall. i8 Roadster 2020 costs $164,295
How is the i8 constructed?
The carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) life module passenger cell and the aluminum drive module, which houses the whole drivetrain and chassis technologies, make up the BMW i8’s revolutionary architecture.
Is Tesla faster than the BMW i8?
A software cap limits the top speed of the BMW i8 at 155 mph. The BMW i8 can be used on a racetrack or a salt flat in the desert thanks to its software. Additionally, the Tesla S incorporates software that caps the highest speed at only 130 mph. As a result, the maximum speed of the BMW i8 is marginally higher than that of the Tesla S.
How many BMW 1Ms are produced?
One of the most exclusive vehicles ever created by the magicians in Garching is the BMW 1M Coupe. It originated from a covert effort that few of the company’s executives were aware of. According to folklore, certain BMW M engineers sought to create the ultimate track vehicle and utilised the majority of E92 M3 components for the 1M. A great sports coupe was the end result, and it debuted in 2011 and quickly sold out in most regions.
The 1M was initially scheduled to be a 2,700-unit limited edition car by BMW. The company then lifted the cap in response to the tremendous demand, producing a total of 6309 vehicles up until the end of manufacturing in June 2012. Nevertheless, after selling 740 units in the US and 220 more in Canada, production of the 1M Coup ceased in June 2012. Globally, 6309 automobiles were sold.
The engine took extremely little time to develop; engineers started working on it in October 2009 and finished it in less than a year. The choice to construct the 1M was taken in December 2009. The development and testing of the automobile took around a year. M vehicles conduct extensive testing on the Nurburgring track. Before the terrible weather started, all of the testing had to be finished in the spring and summer.
The N54 3.0 liter I-6 twin-turbo engine powers the BMW 1M. Although 369 pound-feet of torque are briefly accessible in overboost mode, the turbocharger, exhaust system, and ECU have all been updated to deliver 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque for the 1M. Redline is at 7000 revs per minute. The N54B30TO engine’s engine mapping can be changed by pressing the M button on the steering wheel to provide a more forceful throttle response.
The Porsche Cayman S was likely the closest rival in 2011, although BMW claimed at the time that no rivals were taken into account while designing the vehicle because the goal was to create vehicles that customers would like to drive. And that’s exactly what they did.
How many BMWs are produced daily?
The BMW Group announced on June 23, 1992, that South Carolina would be the site of its first complete manufacturing facility outside of Germany. The corporation committed to investing $600 million at the time, hiring 2,000 employees by the year 2000, and luring at least nine suppliers to the state. It took a record-breaking 23 months from site groundbreaking to the first car being produced, making it the quickest factory start-up in automotive history.
After more than two decades, the BMW Group has invested close to $12 billion and the facility has undergone five significant expansions. With more than 40 direct Tier 1 suppliers based in South Carolina and more than 300 suppliers nationwide, there are more than 11,000 jobs on-site.
In order to get the factory ready for new iterations of the BMW X model family, the BMW Group announced in 2017 an extra investment of $600 million. Since the plant’s opening, this is the sixth significant expansion.
More than 5 million automobiles have been produced at the company since it began operations in 1994. At the moment, BMW Manufacturing makes more than 1,500 vehicles per day, with 70% of its output going overseas. The plant manufactures the BMW X4, X4 M, X6, and X6 M Sports Activity Coupes, as well as the X3, X3 M, X5, X5 M, and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles.
You must accept permission to store marketing cookies in order for YouTube to display the video.
Which BMW is the quickest?
The BMW M5 Competition variant, which accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, is now the company’s quickest production vehicle. Even some of the quickest cars under $100,000 are available from BMW, in a variety of styles ranging from coupes to SUV Sport Activity Vehicles(r).
What sets the i8 apart?
The BMW i8 offers sports car acceleration thanks to the 320 Nm of the combustion engine and the 250 Nm of the electric powertrain. The hybrid sports car can also go up to about 75 mph (120 km/h) in electric mode, which is a locally emission-free mode, if desired.
BMW superior to Mercedes?
BMW remains the overall champion when it comes to luxury performance, even if the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is one of the best-performing large luxury sedans on the road right now. Customers should choose a BMW automobile if they want performance and style in one convenient package.
How long does a battery in a BMW i8 last?
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. If you notice a loss of power or lower fuel efficiency, you should get the battery checked out and perhaps replaced.
What city houses the largest BMW factory?
BMW announced in 1992 that it would expand its global production network by constructing a 1,150-acre (470 hectare) manufacturing complex in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, USA. The facility debuted in 1994.
BMW said in 2010 that it would invest $750 million to increase production at the Greer factory. The plant will grow to be the largest car manufacturing in the US based on personnel count and be able to produce 240,000 vehicles annually. In 2015, 339 dealerships in the United States sold 346,023 vehicles, making it the largest single market for BMW.
In January 2012, the two millionth vehicle produced by BMWUSM left the manufacturing facility. It is a vermilion red metallic X3 xDrive35i with an Oyster Nevada interior and a M Sport Package, and it was driven by 16-year BMW veteran and BMW Associate Terry Gardner. Renita Williams, Trang Pham, and Olga Yurchenko were also present. These employees are teams from the Body, Paint, and Assembly manufacturing technologies at the plant. To honor the achievement, the car was kept on display at the Spartanburg Plant.
The 23,000 workers (BMW and contract) at the $2.2 billion facility are a component of the company’s five-plant worldwide production network.
BMW’s largest US production, with an annual capacity of 480,000 vehicles when incorporating the X7, will be located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, thanks to an additional $1 billion investment by the automaker announced in 2014. In 2016, there were 411,171 automobiles produced, and 140 different nations received 70% of the exports. In terms of volume of vehicles produced, the facility is the largest BMW facility in the world.
In 2018, around 70% of production was exported to 125 markets, which set a new record. China was the largest export destination, receiving one-third of total exports. BMW stopped selling the X3 to China that year.
Many of the plant’s demands for cargo and completed vehicles are taken care of by a neighboring dry inland port, 200 miles from the port of Charleston. 2015 saw the shipment of 250,000 new automobiles via rail from BMW Spartanburg to the port of Charleston. There is some use of air freight.