BMW has confirmed that the i8 plug-in hybrid sports vehicle will no longer be produced starting next month, nearly six years after it was first prominently featured in the portfolio of the German automaker.
Following a decision to concentrate technical efforts on building a new line of electric cars, including the iX3 CUV, i4 sedan, and iNext SUV, BMW’s Leipzig plant in Germany will stop producing the Porsche 911 rival in mid-April. Within the next five years, an electric sports car based on the Vision M Next concept from last year is also anticipated.
Since it debuted in 2014 as a coupe, the first model to represent BMW’s I sub-brand has sold more over 20,000 units globally. In 2018, the model received a facelift, and the open-top i8 roadster model was introduced to the roster. Data from Wards Intelligence shows that there were 6,776 delivery in the United States.
The i8 debuted on sale in 2014 as the high-performance flagship of BMW’s then-new I division, positioned in the lineup above the i3 hatchback. It was first unveiled as a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid concept at the 2009 Frankfurt car show.
The i8 has led the way for an expanding lineup of plug-in hybrid BMW models during its six years on the market and also helped pioneer carbon-fiber construction techniques that have since been incorporated into various parts of other, more traditional BMW models, such as the Carbon Core body structure of the most recent 7-Series.
Throughout its entire manufacturing run, the futuristic-looking sports car was only offered with one available powertrain: a front-mounted electric motor coupled to a 1.5L gasoline 3-cylinder engine situated in the middle. Although output was increased from 357 horsepower to 369 hp during the 2018 refresh, performance metrics have essentially remained the same.
BMW has announced that after a limited run of 200 Ultimate Sophisto Edition vehicles, i8 manufacture will terminate. Although BMW acknowledges the 20,000th i8 was created in December as part of the creation of the Ultimate Sophisto Edition, exact production numbers have not been disclosed.
This puts it much ahead of other BMW sports cars in terms of output; the M1, which debuted in 1978, had output of 399 units, and the Z8, which debuted in 2000, had an output cap of 5,000 units.
According to Wards Intelligence data, the i8 sold 555 units nationwide in 2014, 2,265 units in 2015, 1,594 units in 2016, 488 units in 2017, 772 units in 2018, 1,102 units in 2019, and 122 units through the first two months of 2020.
Although they imply it may be reincarnated as an electric competitor to the second-generation Tesla Roadster and a battery-electric successor to the Audi R8, BMW officials have told Wards that a final decision on what direction an i8 replacement could take has not yet been taken.
They also imply that BMW is pursuing a race-to-road strategy for upcoming electrified sports cars in an effort to establish a connection between the manufacturer’s participation in Formula E racing and upcoming i-division road vehicles under construction.
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Final sales figures for the hybrid coupe and roadster, the BMW i8
Last week saw the unveiling of the final 18 coupe and roadster versions for the BMW i8. As a result, the final production figures are now, pardon the pun, final. The progressive hybrid sportscar has a total of 20,465 units available on the market.
Since the BMW i8 Roadster was released later and at a greater price, it makes sense that the i8 Coupe is the more popular model. Before the production of the BMW Group’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid came to an end on June 11, 2020, with a Portimao Blue model, 16,581 BMW i8 Coupes were created in Leipzig. 2014’s first week of March saw the launch of the i8 Coupe.
The two-seater BMW i8 Roadster is far more exclusive than the four-seater coupe with its two “emergency seats” in the back, having sold 3,884 units since summer 2018.
The BMW i8 initially had 362 horsepower, but 374 horsepower was added in the summer of 2018. The BMW i8 Roadster has only ever been produced in the more potent variant. The electric motor was “tuned” in order to boost power output. A 40 to 50+ kilometer electric range was available with the BMW i8 facelift.
The final 18 BMW i8 cars were painted with a specific color that was brand-new for the i8. As a result, this assignment presented a lot of difficulties because the paint shop had to be altered to meet these requirements. The cars were essentially hand painted in order to address these problems.
These final 18 vehicles were each developed in close consultation with the persons who would eventually acquire them in order to produce really unique combinations. More information about these vehicles is available here.
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.
BMW will stop producing the i8, its ultra-futuristic sports car. This is how it became the most popular vehicle of its class.
- BMW will stop making its i8 hybrid sports car in April after six years of manufacturing.
- 2014 saw the introduction of the i8, and BMW went on to sell over 20,000 vehicles. The i8 is now the most well-known sports car of its class, according to BMW.
- With butterfly doors, 374 horsepower, 420 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-to-62-mph pace of 4.4 seconds, the i8 isn’t your standard hybrid.
- An i8 is still available right now. The starting price for the coupe model is $147,500, while the price for the convertible model is $163,300.
Most people associate hybrid vehicles with boring but practical commuter vehicles like the Toyota Prius. However, the BMW i8 served as evidence that even while plug-in hybrids sip gas rather than guzzle it, they do have a place among the envious.
And in April, after six years, its reign as the upcoming sports car will come to an end.
After months of rumors of the i8’s demise, BMW officially honored it last week. It is safe to assume that the decision has nothing to do with the coronavirus epidemic because a corporate spokesman confirmed the news when it first surfaced in January.
When the i8 production line does come to an end, it will be the end of the vehicle that helped many people understand what good fuel efficiency and performance—two things that were once mutually exclusive—look like when they work together. Given the availability of the Porsche 918, Ferrari LaFerrari, and McLaren P1, it wasn’t the only hybrid sports vehicle at the time, but it was more affordable—almost pedestrian—than the others.
Thus, since the i8’s release in 2014, BMW has sold more over 20,000 units, as opposed to the seven-figure P1’s production limit of 375 vehicles. According to BMW, this makes it the best-selling vehicle of its class.
How numerous are BMW i8s?
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.
What is a replacement for a BMW i8?
The successor to the i8 may borrow design elements from the M1, and we anticipate that it will go on sale in 2023 for about $160,000. The performance of the new BMW i8 hybrid sports car will be prioritized more. A potent plug-in hybrid powertrain with up to 600 horsepower will be used.
Is there a BMW i8 for 2022?
2022 BMW i8 Car The price range for the 4 and 2 Seater Coupe BMW i8 2020 in the US is between $147,500 and $163,300. Its measurements are 4696 mm long, 2217 mm wide, and 1288 mm high, with a ground clearance of 114 mm.
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.
BMW i8 is it hybrid?
The BMW i8 is a cutting-edge sports automobile that uses hybrid technology throughout its entire drivetrain. Let’s look at some of the specifications: Powertrain: eDrive Electric Motor and 1.5L BMW TwinPower Turbo 3-cylinder engine. Engine power is 228 horsepower and 236 lb-ft.