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. 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. 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.
In This Article...
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.
The BMW i8 is no more.
The i8, the first plug-in hybrid model from German carmaker, was unveiled in production form at the Frankfurt auto show in 2013 and had its American debut in 2014.
The model did experience a 43% boost in sales last year on the big U.S. market, reaching 1,102 units. In Canada, where the i8 increased from a meager 18 units sold in 2018 to 264 last year, the growth was much more pronounced.
In order to focus on creating and releasing a number of new electric cars as part of its ambitious aim to market 25 electrified models by 2023, BMW is putting the i8 on hold.
The iNext SUV’s manufacturing is anticipated to start in the middle of 2021. The i4 sedan follows, with development expected to begin at the end of the same year. Following the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show, this month saw the virtual debut of the latter model.
According to the European testing cycle, the i4 car and the iNext SUV should each have a range of about 600 km, which translates to 450–500 km in North America.
Introduction
It has become difficult to recall the time when the BMW i8 was originally introduced to the public due to all the new innovations that appear to be bursting through the pipeline these days. The 2014 BMW i8, which was introduced in what now seems like the distant past, changed the automobile industry by developing what is widely regarded as the first high-performance hybrid sports car.
Its powertrain technology was the outcome of BMW’s imaginative approach to a quickly shifting narrative towards a future focused on sustainability, and it was far ahead of its time. This movement would eventually be led by the replacement of internal combustion engines with electric vehicles (EVs). The earliest design in this picture would be the BMW i8.
Being a plug-in hybrid rather than a completely electric vehicle, the BMW i8 offers more of a transitional approach to this than a radical one, but it would still be upending the status quo. We have continued using the same production run based on the original platform since its 2014 release.
BMW hasn’t made many changes to the i8 since its 2014 release, despite the fact that the initial vehicle was relatively avant-garde for its time. There haven’t been many notable improvements, unless you like the optional Laserlight headlamps that were introduced in 2016.
The biggest alterations were made for the 2019 model year, when the BMW i8 was introduced as a soft-top roadster in addition to the 2+2 coupe. Additionally, the powertrain has been improved to add another 12 horsepower while also extending the range by roughly 3 miles.
The car’s infotainment system now uses the most recent BMW software, iDrive 6.0, while modest adjustments to the dampers and anti-roll bars are meant to enhance handling performance and driving sensation.
During its lifespan, BMW produced about 20,500 units of the i8.
BMW i8 production is over, but the Germans made sure the hybrid sports vehicle made a statement by painting each of the remaining 18 units in a distinctive shade. These were colors that had never been used on the car during its entire manufacture run.
BMW claimed that producing 18 vehicles in a row in a unique color presented a hurdle. It required technicians to manually paint them. To obtain some components in the specific shade, the organization had to liaise with vendors.
When was the BMW i8 discontinued?
In June 2020, the BMW i8’s manufacture came to an end after a little over six years. Alpina lost the opportunity to produce its first hybrid or electric vehicle by abandoning the i8 project. BMW doesn’t intend to create a precursor, but it will soon broaden its selection of hybrid vehicles, opening the door for Alpina to someday enter this market.
Since 1965, Alpina has been in business. In the beginning, the company focused on tuning BMW engines for racing, but in the 1980s it changed into an automaker. Alpina has altered several models of the BMW 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, and 8 Series over the years, but it also created a limited-edition Z8 roadster variant.
Now available at BMW dealerships, Alpina models include the B7 and XB7, based on the 7 Series and X7, respectively, in the U.S. lineup.
Why did BMW discontinue the i8?
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.
How much is a BMW i8?
You belong to a distinct cat breed. Hard-working. unconventional thinking Some people could even describe you as revolutionary or rebellious. Your spirit animal in the guise of a luxurious hybrid sports automobile may be the 2021 BMW i8. It’s a forward-thinking, unorthodox Coupe and Roadster. Sports hybrid vehicles are no longer so unique. But this one is special because it was designed specifically to harness amazing hybrid power and was expertly made to provide a driving experience unlike any other. With plenty of visual sex appeal due to its hardtop coupe or convertible roadster’s opening dihedral doors. Additionally, it has a powerful plug-in powertrain that is quicker than weaker hybrids. All of these factors combined to provide a comfortable, interesting, and user-friendly driving experience. The 2021 i8 offers brilliance for your daily life or that once-in-a-lifetime cross-country road trip, starting at $147,500. You can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and top out at 155 mph. Choose a convertible if you like to drive with the top down. It has just one motor and comes standard with all-wheel drive. Every model comes standard with heated front seats, a head-up display, a Harman/Kardon audio system, and Apple CarPlay compatibility. That certainly qualifies as a non-standard list of standards. The Tera World option, which adds ceramic controls, black brake calipers, blue seatbelts, and a special brown interior, may be just what your rebel needs to turn the heat up even higher. We know you don’t do things halfway or conventionally.
Call our sales staff at 760-469-4242 if you are looking for a new BMW i8 Model in Palm Springs, California, want to lease one, or have questions regarding price. Alternatively, if you’re ready for a test drive, stop by our BMW Dealership. In addition, we have customers from cities like Ontario, Riverside, and Murrieta, California. No matter where you’re from, BMW of Palm Springs will make you feel at home.
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 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.