BMW revealed today the sporty half of its new i range, the two-door i8 Concept. the i8 concept is BMW's vision of a modern, sustainable sports car, powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The i8 is a 2+2 vehicle, that promises to offer enough interior space for four people. The i8 concept combines the electric drive system of the i3 with a combustion engine. So, the front axle of the BMW i8 is powered by an electric motor, with an output of 170 hp and 250 Nm, while the rear one is driven by a high-performance 3-cylinder combustion engine developing 164 kW/220 hp and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque. If you do an easy sum, you'll get some very impressive numbers. The total output of the new i8 hybrid Bimmer is 390 hp and 550 Nm of torque. This means some serious performance.
The electric motor at the front of the i8 is connected to the combustion engine at the rear through an "energy tunnel". The tunnel also houses the battery of the i8, which give the car a low center of gravity and a 50/50 weight distribution.
BMW says that the new i8 concept is able to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than 5 seconds, while offering a fuel economy of less than 3 liters per 100 km (94 mpg). BMW's i8 concept comes with a lithium-ion battery, which can be re-charged from a home outlet, that offers it a
range of up to 35 kilometers (approx. 20 miles) on electric power alone.
BMW used the LifeDrive architecture for developing the i8. This new concept gave the i8 its sports car character, while delivering performance and excellent driving dynamics.
BMW says that their i8 concept previews a "sports car for a new generation", which could mean they will eventually put it into production.
Watch the first videos of the BMW i8 lower down this page.
BMW i8 Concept video:
BMW i8 Concept Presentation video:
BMW i8 Concept Center Information Display video:
BMW i8 and i3 concepts video:
