Carsales Staff•8 Aug 2013
NEWS
BMW rolls out i8 hyper hybrid
Camouflage pilot-build cars to be tested by world's mediaBMW is laying on a major media event at the Miramas test track in France for its new i8 – the plug-in hybrid sports car that will top the company's fuel-efficient i-brand range.
Much has already been revealed about the new model, but just to reiterate, it features a 170kW turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that helps propel the car to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds. Peak torque from the petrol engine is 320Nm. Assisting the internal-combustion engine is a 96kW electric motor that produces 250Nm and drives the front wheels via a two-stage automatic transmission. The petrol engine drives to the rear through a conventional six-speed automatic. Electrical power for the front motor is stored in a lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged from a standard household outlet.
In electric-only mode the car has a top speed of 120km and boasts a range of 35km. With the petrol engine running the two drive systems deliver all-wheel drive traction and that sub-5.0 second 0-100km/h time. Yet the combined-cycle fuel consumption figure for the i8, based on the NEDC test standard, is around 2.5L/100km. CO2 emissions at that rate of consumption amount to just 59g/km.
In addition to the drivetrain setup, the secret to the i8's performance rests with its lightweight construction, which is based around a carbonfibre-reinforced passenger cell for the 2+2. BMW refer to this structure as the Life module. The manufacturer claims that this structure reduces weight by 50 per cent compared with steel, or 30 per cent compared with aluminium. Despite that, crash safety is uncompromised, the manufacturer claims, and the weight savings offset the additional weight of the li-ion battery and electric motor. According to BMW, the i8's kerb mass is less than 1490kg.
The (internal-combustion) engine and (electric) motor are integrated in an aluminium Drive module, which also houses the battery and associated electronics, plus the usual chassis underpinnings – suspension, steering and brakes. Both modules reside within an aluminium outer skin, with the battery pack positioned low in the Drive module for a low centre of gravity.
Overall, the i8 measures just under 4.7 metres in length and 1.9 metres wide. The wheelbase is 2.8 metres long and the car is just 1.3 metres high. Its proportions and aerodynamic styling have lent the i8 a drag coefficient of 0.26Cd, which also contributes to its low fuel consumption.
But more importantly, the i8 is good for a top speed of 250km/h. The challenge for our man in Europe, Michael Taylor, is to achieve that. Stay tuned for his first drive report.
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Written byCarsales Staff
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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