BMW i8

The BMW i8, first introduced as the BMW Concept Vision Efficient Dynamics, is a plug-in hybrid developed by BMW. The 2015 model year BMW 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 (NEDC). 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.
The initial turbodiesel concept car was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Deliveries in Europe are scheduled to begin in June 2014, and about one month later in the U.S.

History

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 will be followed by the i8 in 2014 as a 2015 model year. Other i models are expected to follow.

The initial turbodiesel concept car was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, In 2010, BMW announced the mass production of the Concept Vision Efficient Dynamics 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 Frankfurt Motor Show. The following are the concept and pre-production models developed by BMW that precedeed the production version.

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics (2009)

Vision EfficientDynamics concept vehicle unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car is a plug-in hybrid with a three cylinder turbodiesel engine. Additionally, there are two electric motors with 139 horsepower. It allows an acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (160 mph).

According to BMW, the average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle (KV01) is 3.76 liters/100 kilometers, (75.1 mpg imp), and has a carbon dioxide emission rating of 99 grams per kilometer (1,3 l/100 km and 33g CO2/km ; EU-PHEV ECE-R101). The estimated all-electric range is 50 km (31 mi), and the 24-liter petrol tank extends the total vehicle range to up to 700 km (430 mi). The lightweight chassis is made mainly from aluminum. The windshield, top, doors and fenders are made from polycarbonate glass, with the body having a drag coefficient of 0.26.

The designers in charge of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept were Mario Majdandzic, Exterior Design and Jochen Paesen, Interior Design.

The vehicle was unveiled in 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, followed by Auto China 2010.

BMW i8 Concept (2011)

BMW i8 Concept exhibited at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

BMW i8 Concept plug-in hybrid electric vehicle includes an electric motor located in the front axle powering the front wheels rated 96 kW (131 PS; 129 hp) and 250 N·m (184 lb·ft), a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine driving rear wheels rated 164 kW (223 PS; 220 hp) and 300 N·m (221 lb·ft) of torque, with combined output of 260 kW (354 PS; 349 hp) and (Corsican)</ref> Together with the positioning of the motor and engine over the axles, the result is an optimum 50/50 weight distribution.

The vehicle was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, followed by CENTER 548 in New York City, 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011, 82nd Geneva Motor Show 2012, BMW i Born Electric Tour at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni at Via Nazionale 194 in Rome, Auto Shanghai 2013

This concept car was featured in the film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

BMW i8 Concept Spyder (2012)

The BMW i8 Concept Spyder included a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length over the BMW i8 Concept, carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) Life module, drive modules made primarily from aluminium components, interlocking of surfaces and lines, 8.8-inch (22.4 cm) screen display, off-white outer layer, orange tone naturally tanned leather upholstery.

The vehicle was unveiled in Auto China 2012 in Beijing and wins Concept Car of the Year,followed by 83rd Geneva International Motor Show 2013.

The designer of the BMW i8 Concept Spyder was Richard Kim

BMW i8 coupe prototype (2013)

The design of the BMW i8 coupe prototype was based on the BMW i8 Concept. The BMW i8 prototype has an average fuel efficiency of less than 2.5 L/100 km (113.0 mpg_-imp; 94.1 mpg_-US) under the New European Driving Cycle with carbon emissions of less than 59 g/km. The i8 with its carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell lightweight, aerodynamically optimized body with BMW eDrive technology offers the dynamic performance of a sports car, with an expected 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) sprint time of less than 4.5 seconds using both power sources. The plug-in hybrid system of the BMW i8 comprises a three-cylinder, 1.5-liter BMW TwinPower turbo gasoline engine combined with BMW eDrive technology used in the BMW i3 and develops maximum power of 231 hp (170 kW). The BMW i8 is the first BMW production model to be powered by a three-cylinder gasoline engine and the resulting specific output of 154 hp (113 kW) per liter of displacement is on a par with high-performance sports car engines and is the highest of any engine produced by the BMW Group.

BMW i8 concept exhibited at the BMW i store in Park Lane, London.

The BMW i8's second power source is a hybrid synchronous electric motor specially developed and produced by the BMW Group for BMW i. The electric motor develops maximum power of 131 hp (96 kW) and produces its maximum torque of around 236 lb-ft (320 nm) from standstill. Typical of an electric motor, responsive power is instantly available when starting and this continues into the higher load ranges. As well as providing a power boost to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration, the electric motor can also power the vehicle by itself. Top speed in electric mode is approximately 75 mph (121 km/h), with a maximum driving range of up to 22 mi (35 km). Linear acceleration is maintained even at higher speeds since the interplay between the two power sources efficiently absorbs any power flow interruptions when shifting gears. The BMW i8 has an electronically controlled top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h), which can be reached and maintained when the vehicle operates solely on the gasoline engine. The model-specific version of the high-voltage 7.2 lithium-ion battery has a liquid cooling system and can be recharged at a conventional household power socket, at a BMW i Wallbox or at a public charging station. In the US a full recharge takes approximately 3.5 hours from a conventional 120V, 12 amp household circuit or approximately 1.5 hours from a 220V Level 2 charger.

The driver can also select several driving modes: SPORT, COMFORT and ECO PRO. Using the gear selector, the driver can either select position D for automated gear selection or can switch to SPORT mode. SPORT mode offers manual gear selection and at the same time switches to very sporty drive and suspension settings. In SPORT mode, the engine and electric motor deliver extra performance, accelerator response is faster and the power boost from the electric motor is maximized. And to keep the battery topped up, SPORT mode also activates maximum energy recuperation during overrun and braking as the electric motor’s generator function, which recharges the battery using kinetic energy, switches to a more powerful setting. The Driving Experience Control switch on the center console offers a choice of two settings. On starting, COMFORT mode is activated, which offers a balance between sporty performance and fuel efficiency, with unrestricted access to all convenience functions. Alternatively, the ECO PRO mode can be engaged, which, on the BMW i8 as on other models, supports an efficiency-optimized driving style. On this mode the powertrain controller coordinates the cooperation between the gasoline engine and the electric motor for maximum fuel economy. On deceleration, the intelligent energy management system automatically decides, in line with the driving situation and vehicle status, whether to recuperate braking energy or to coast with the powertrain disengaged. At the same time, ECO PRO mode also programs electrical convenience functions such as the air conditioning, seat heating and heated mirrors to operate at minimum power consumption, but without compromising safety. The maximum driving range of the BMW i8 on a full fuel tank and with a fully charged battery is more than 310 mi (500 km) in COMFORT mode, which can be increased by up to 20% in ECO PRO mode. The BMW i8’s ECO PRO mode can also be used during all-electric operation. The vehicle is then powered solely by the electric motor. Only if the battery charge drops below a given level, or under sudden intense throttle application such as kickdown, is the internal combustion engine automatically activated.

The vehicle was unveiled in BMW Group's Miramas test track in France.

Production version

BMW i8 frontal view (production model)

BMW i8 rear view (production model)

The production BMW i8 was designed by Benoit Jacob. The production version was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, followed by 2013 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Series production of customer vehicles is scheduled to start in April 2014.

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. The i8 has a low vehicle weight of 1,485 kg (3,274 lb) (DIN kerb weight) and a low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26. In all-electric mode the BMW i8 has a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). In Sport mode the i8 delivers a mid-range acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h (50 to 75 mph) in 2.6 seconds. The electronically controlled top speed is 250 km/h (160 mph). 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.

Engines

Petrol engines
Model	Years	Type/code	Power, torque@rpm
i8	2014-	1,499 cc (91.5 cu in) I3 turbo	231 PS (170 kW; 228 hp)@5800, 320 N·m (236 lb·ft)@3700
		hybrid synchronous motor	131 PS (96 kW; 129 hp)@?, 250 N·m (184 lb·ft)@0rpm
		combined	362 PS (266 kW; 357 hp)@?, 570 N·m (420 lb·ft)@?

Transmissions

Petrol engines
Model	Years	Types
i8	2014-	6-speed automatic (combustion engine), two-stage automatic (electric motor)

Sales and markets

BMW plans to sell the i8 in about 50 countries, with the U.S. expected to be the largest sales market. In Europe, the UK, Germany and France are expected to be the top markets. Deliveries to retail customers in Europe are scheduled to begin in June 2014, and about one month later in the U.S.Pricing for the 2015 BMW i8 destined for the U.S. market starts at US$135,925 (€103,000 or GB£86,800) including destination and handling fees and before any applicable government incentives

On November 14th, 2013, BMW announced they are taking orders for the i8 in Japan. Pricing starts at ¥19,170,000 (US$191,500) which includes the 8% consumption tax.

Awards and recognition

In July 2011 the BMW i8 won the 2012 North American Concept Vehicle of the Year.

The BMW i8 Spyder wins the Best Production Preview Vehicle award.

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