Experience Driving a BMW i8. With no emissions from the tailpipe, the BMW i8 has a range of up to 34 miles when driven around town in electric only mode. To prevent the i8 from starting its gasoline engine, press the EV button.
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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.
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.
Next month, BMW will stop making the i8 electric sports car.
The manufacture of the BMW i8, the best-selling plug-in hybrid sports car, will finish next month after producing around 20,000 units.
Today, the German manufacturer declared:
“The last stretch before reaching the “Hall of Fame” for BMW sports cars: The BMW i8’s product life cycle concludes six years after it was first introduced to the market. The plug-in hybrid sports cars will have long since cemented their place among the company’s milestones by the time manufacture of the BMW i8 Coupe ends. The BMW i8 was a groundbreaking combination of futuristic design and cutting-edge technology that launched its global success story. The first plug-in hybrid vehicle from the BMW Group set the way for driving enjoyment that was both exciting and environmentally friendly, and it quickly rose to the top of the fascination with driving using electrified drive technology. The plug-in hybrid models offered by the BMW Group today are made possible thanks to it. At the same time, the BMW i8 evolved into the most popular sports car with an electric drivetrain in the world. Since 2014, it has sold more than 20,000 units, outpacing all of its rivals in this market sector combined in sales.”
The BMW i8 concept was initially presented at the 2009 Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA).
The production model made its premiere with the BMW i3 four years later, and many people predicted that it would be the first of many new electric vehicle debuts for BMW.
The BMW i3 is still the only all-electric model offered by the German carmaker, although the BMW i8 spurred the development of numerous plug-in hybrid variants of other models.
As it affirms that production of the i8 will finish in April, BMW now claims that it is turning into a “classic automobile.”
The BMW i8 uses electricity.
The 2021 i8 has a single powertrain that combines a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gas engine that has been turbocharged with an 11.6-kWh battery and two electric motors. The three engines work together to provide 369 horsepower, which can drive all four wheels.
What fuel type does the BMW i8 use?
Most recent information: By the end of 2018, India is anticipated to introduce the refreshed i8 Coupe and the new BMW i8 Roadster, which were both on display at the 2018 Indian Auto Expo in February.
Price and options for the BMW i8: The i8 is not presently available in India. When it was put up for sale in the nation, the pricing was set at Rs 2.62 crore (ex-showroom India).
Powertrain of the BMW i8: The plug-in hybrid sports car’s powertrain combines an electric motor with a gasoline engine to provide propulsion for all four wheels.
The 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder mid-mounted engine in the BMW i8 drives the rear wheels and has a maximum output of 235PS and 320Nm. The front axle is driven by an electric motor with a 131PS and 250Nm rating. The hybrid system’s total combined output is 570Nm and 363PS. When driven in full electric mode, the electric motor is coupled with a 2-speed gearbox instead of the engine’s 6-speed automatic transmission.
Performance: The BMW i8 can reach its electronically limited top speed of 250 kmph after accelerating from 0 to 100 kmph in just 4.4 seconds.
Fuel economy and range: The hybrid sports car, the BMW i8, has a certified fuel economy of 47.45 kmpl and an all-electric range of 25 to 35 kilometers. In EV mode, the i8 has a top speed of up to 120 kph.
Features of the BMW i8: The BMW i8 is a high-end vehicle and is outfitted accordingly. Six airbags, ABS with braking assist and cornering brake control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, dynamic stability control with dynamic traction control, and other safety features come standard. Others include a 10.2-inch iDrive infotainment display with a 360W Harman Kardon 11-speaker surround sound system, automatic LED lighting on both ends, dual-zone climate control, powered front seats, a multi-view camera with object recognition, a BMW head-up display, and front and rear parking sensors, among others.
Competition for the BMW i8: Since the i8 is the only plug-in hybrid sports car available in the nation, it has no real competitors.
The 2020 i8 is it entirely electric?
The i8 Coupe (and the newer Roadster) are finishing their product life cycles with the 2020 model year, six years after its market debut. Both all-wheel-drive variants are propelled by a hybrid 1.5-liter three-cylinder gas engine with 228 horsepower and a hybrid synchronous electric motor from BMW. While the electric motor drives the front wheels with a two-speed automatic gearbox, the power from the engine is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. In the end, a hybrid-specific AWD system is produced. In comparison to the i8 Roadster, the i8 Coupe can reach 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. The top speed of both variants is 250 km/h. For the i8 Coupe and i8 Roadster, the electric range is 55 km and 53 km, respectively. The aerodynamically enhanced bodywork of the two-seat Roadster has model-specific gullwing doors and a soft-top roof. The open sky or an all-season fabric soft top with enhanced soundproofing are both options for passengers inside. While the car is moving at up to 50 km/h, the electrically controlled convertible top opens and closes in less than 16 seconds.
Can the BMW i8 run just on gasoline?
People will stop wherever you go in the i8 to take pictures of it with their iPhones and, if they have the chance, to talk to you. Despite the wide disparity in understanding of the vehicle, everyone agrees that the i8 looks stunning when parked by the side of the road. Since the i8 has a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.26, it is obvious that aerodynamics plays a major role in its design. When the gullwing-style doors are opened, the striking appearance causes an even sharper intake of breath.
Once inside, which necessitates some agility due to the relatively small and oddly formed entrance aperture, the interior also exhibits a significant amount of design flare, with numerous curved, layered surfaces. Everything is still where you want it and has the same superior ergonomic design as any other BMW cabin. We haven’t yet discovered a better in-car infotainment control system than BMW’s iDrive controller, but the head-up display is excellent. Importantly, the basic driving posture, like almost all other BMWs, is ideal and offers a wide range of modification.
Surprisingly, there is a good deal of storage space between the seats, in addition to the roomy center tube where the batteries are located. The “2+2” back seats, however, are cramped, and the boot is also quite small.
Things are equally inventive underneath the surface. The i8 is essentially a mid-engined vehicle thanks to its 3-cylinder, 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine, which is located between the rear seats and the rear wheels. The 6-speed automatic transmission used to drive the rear wheels of this power unit, which is based on the engine used in the new MINI Cooper, is lighter than the 8-speed automatic transmission often found in modern BMWs.
However, there is also a 96kw electric motor under the hood that is driven by a lithium-ion battery that runs up the middle of the vehicle. The front wheels are propelled by this electric drivetrain.
The i8 can be powered only by electricity, by gasoline, or by a combination of the two. The car has front-wheel drive if it is only powered by electricity. It has rear-wheel drive if only powered by gasoline. When used gradually, the i8 is all-wheel drive when using gasoline and electricity as power sources.
BMW has made significant efforts, like with the i3, to make the i8 as light as possible. The chassis is made of aluminum, while the passenger structure is made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). The i8 only weights 1490kg despite having 100kg of batteries. Even with all of this complicated packing, BMW was still able to maintain its distinctive 50:50 weight distribution and low center of gravity.