The BMW i8 concept and i3 concept vehicles join the long list of BMWs making their public debuts at the Frankfurt IAA. The i8 electric hybrid sports car will launch in 2014 and the i3 electric vehicle launches earlier, in 2013.
P.S., if you look closely, you’ll see that this particular i8 concept vehicle has some early form of the recently announced laser headlight technology.
Cars.com recently caught the BMW i8 and i3 concept cars on the streets of Chicago, in the first real life public street pics spotting of BMW’s recently revealed EV and hybrid-electric concept cars.
Automakers have thrown their considerable weights behind green technology. This comes as no surprise given the seemingly ever climbing gas prices and stringent future CAFE standards. Electric driven vehicles, such as plug-in hybrids are gaining popularity amid these concerns. But does green technology spell the end of performance sports cars? Not if manufacturers such as BMW, Porsche, and even an upstart such Fisker Automotive have a say.
The two German powerhouses and American newcomer are each set to produce their own eco-friendly yet exotic, sleek, low slung plug-in hybrid sports cars. Porsche’s offering is the Porsche 918 Spyder, a hybrid super car starting at $845,000. The Fisker Karma comes in at the other end of the price spectrum and starts at $95900. The just introduced BMW i8 … CONTINUED
See the BMW i8 hybrid sports car in video and get some more insight into its overall design philosophy, aerodynamics, center information display, and plug-in hybrid technology.
A new chapter in driving efficiency+performance was kicked off this morning in Frankfurt Germany as the BMW i8 and i3 concept cars were revealed and introduced. For official details and media on the i8 and i3 see our official threads.
Courtesy of Motorauthority, here are some live photos of the i8 concept and i3 concept, from the Frankfurt unveiling.
The production-intent BMW i8 Concept has been revealed today at a BMW i event in Frankfurt, Germany. The BMW i8 will be BMW’s first high performance hybrid-electric sports car. The i8 features a high performance 3-cylinder petrol engine in the rear, coupled with the BMW i3’s electric motor in the front. Total torque of 550 Nm (300Nm petrol engine + 250 Nm electric motor), moving around just 1,480 kg. 0-100kph (62mph) in just 4.6 seconds and top speed of 250kph (limited). All just consuming 2.7 L/100km fuel. Full details, wallpapers, and videos inside.
We bring you the first spy videos of the BMW i8 in cold weather testing runs. The live motion view gives us even more impressions of the future hybrid sports car and it looks sleeker and lower than ever. View videos inside.
According to Ian Robertson of BMW, the company appears to be targetting annual i3 sales of at least 30,000 units by drawing a production target comparison to lower-volume Mini models (such as the Clubman, of which 30,000 were sold globally in 2010). Meanwhile, the i8’s pricing remains to be determined, based on future legislation (and no doubt any tax breaks for green vehicles).
The BMW i3 launches in 2013 and the i8 shortly after, with both models to be built in BMW’s Leipzig plant.
More info on i3, i8, and BMW’s new i sub-brand can be found at http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=491912
In a big fundamental change for the upcoming BMW i8, the future BMW halo car will be powered by a gasoline engine instead of diesel. It was previously intended to be powered by a 161-horsepower 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbo DIESEL engine mated with a hybrid synchronous motor on the front axle (80HP) and full electric motor on the rear axle (51HP), to give a combined 292HP. The diesel motor will now be replaced by a traditional gasoline engine.
According to R&D chief Klaus Draeger (via Autocar), the i8 will instead be petrol (gasoline) powered in order appeal to the widest potential market. Says Draeger - the change is being made “as we want to sell it all over the world. Diesel is only really relevant to Europe
