BMW i8

The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid sports car developed by BMW. The i8 is part of BMW's electrified fleet and is marketed under the BMW i sub-brand. The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, and was released in Germany in June 2014. Deliveries to retail customers in the U.S. began in August 2014. A roadster variant was launched May 2018. Production ended in June 2020. 

 

The 2015 BMW i8 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds and has an electronic limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). The 2015 model year i8 has a 7.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that delivers an all-electric range of 37 km (23 mi) under the New European Driving Cycle. Under the U.S. EPA cycle, the range in EV mode is 24 km (15 mi). The battery capacity of both, BMW i8 Roadster and the i8 Coupé, was increased to 11.6 kWh in 2018, allowing the NEDC electric range to rise to 55 km (34 mi) for the coupé and to 53 km (33 mi) for the roadster. 

 

The BMW i8 coupé has a fuel efficiency of 2.1 L/100 km (134.5 mpg_‑imp; 112.0 mpg_‑US) under the NEDC test with carbon emissions of 49 g/km. The EPA rated the i8 combined fuel economy at 76 MPGe (3.1 L gasoline equivalent/100 km; 91 mpg_-imp gasoline equivalent) and 29 miles per gallon (6.7L/100 km) when running in pure gasoline mode.

By March 2020, global sales of all variants reached more than 20,000 units, making the BMW i8 the world's top selling plug-in electric sports car, and exceeding sales of all competitors in its segment combined.

History

First introduced as the Concept Vision EfficientDynamics, the i8 is part of BMW's "Project i" and it is being marketed as a new brand, BMW i, sold separately from BMW or Mini. The BMW i3, launched for retail customers in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2013, was the first model of the i brand available in the market, and it was followed by the i8, released in Germany in June 2014 as a 2015 model year. Other i models are expected to follow.

The initial turbodiesel concept car was unveiled at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany, In 2010, BMW announced the mass production of the Vision EfficientDynamics concept in Leipzig beginning in 2013 as the BMW i8. The BMW i8 gasoline-powered concept car destined for production was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 International Motor Show Germany. The following are the concept and pre-production models developed by BMW that preceded the production version. When BMW i sponsored the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, they announced that they'd provide support vehicles, and the i8 currently operates as the official safety car.

Range and Fuel Efficiency

The production i8 has a 7.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a usable capacity of 5.2 kWh and intelligent energy management that delivers an all-electric range of 37 km (23 mi) under the NEDC cycle. Under the EPA cycle, the range in EV mode is 15 mi (24 km), and the total range is 330 mi (530 km).

The production version has a fuel efficiency of 2.1 L/100 km (134.5 mpg_‑imp; 112.0 mpg_‑US) under the NEDC test with carbon emissions of 49 g/km. Under EPA cycle, the i8 combined fuel economy in EV mode was rated 76 equivalent (MPG-equivalent) (3.1 L gasoline equivalent/100 km; 91 mpg-imp gasoline equivalent), with an energy consumption of 43 kW-hrs/100 mi and gasoline consumption of 0.1 gal_-US/100 mi. The combined fuel economy when running only with gasoline (after the battery is drained empty) is 28 mpg_‑US (8.4 L/100 km; 34 mpg_‑imp) for city driving, and 29 mpg_‑US (8.1 L/100 km; 35 mpg_‑imp) in highway.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2014 edition of the "Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends" introduced utility factors for plug-in hybrids to represent the percentage of miles that will be driven using electricity by an average driver, in electric only or blended modes. The BMW i8 Coupé has a utility factor in EV mode of 37%, compared with 83% for the BMW i3 REx, 66% for the Chevrolet Volt, 65% for the Cadillac ELR, 45% for the Ford Energi models, 43% for the McLaren P1, 39% for the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, and 29% for the Toyota Prius PHV.

The battery capacity of both models launched in 2018, BMW i8 Roadster and the i8 Coupé, was increased to a gross energy content of 11.6 kWh. This, and other improvements, made possible to rise the all-electric range to 55 km (34 mi) for the BMW i8 Coupé and 53 km (33 mi) for the BMW i8 Roadster, both under the NEDC test. Under the U.S. EPA driving cycle, the range only increased from 15 mi (24 km) to 18 mi (29 km).

Engines

Model	Years	Type/code	Power	Torque
i8	2014–2018	1,499 cc (91.5 cu in) I3 turbo B38A15T0	231 PS (170 kW; 228 hp) at 5800 rpm	320 N⋅m (236 lb⋅ft) at 3700
		hybrid synchronous motor	131 PS (96 kW; 129 hp)	250 N⋅m (184 lb⋅ft) at 0 rpm
		Combined	362 PS (266 kW; 357 hp)	570 N⋅m (420 lb⋅ft) at 3700 rpm
i8	2018–2020	1,499 cc (91.5 cu in) I3 turbo B38A15T0	231 PS (170 kW; 228 hp) at 5800 rpm	320 N⋅m (236 lb⋅ft) at 3700
		hybrid synchronous motor	143 PS (105 kW; 141 hp) at 4800 rpm	250 N⋅m (184 lb⋅ft) at 0 rpm
		Combined	374 PS (275 kW; 369 hp)	570 N⋅m (420 lb⋅ft) at 3700 rpm