BMW i8 concept car was in 2009, and the production version of this model was presented in autumn 2013 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Then, in the autumn was reported that orders for the supercar BMW i8 are planned out for a year in advance, and the first premium electric BMW i3 was already booked by 10,000 customers. In the spring of 2014 Europe got its first hybrid BMW i series. In Russia, BMW sub-brand will start its sales only in September, after its presentation at the Moscow Motor Show in August. Exact number of i8 orders has not been published. Authorized dealers of BMW i series are «AVTODOM» in Moscow and «BMW Evrosib» in St. Petersburg.
So, what is this, hybrid supercar from BMW? Let me introduce you the BMW i8, 4WD GranTurismo coupe. Its power plant has 362 hp and 570 Nm, and it consists of a petrol turbo motor and electric motor. 3-cylindered 1.5-L BMW TwinPower Turbo (231 hp 320 Nm) petrol engine is responsible for the rear wheels, and eDrive motor with 96 kW of the power (131 hp 250 Nm) gives traction to the front. Motors can operate both together and separately. Traditional engine in the BMW i8 is installed in the rear, electric motor — in front and battery packs — in the center of the aluminum frame.
BMW i8 has three operating modes, displayed in different colors on a multimedia dashboard screen (Comfort — blue, Sport — Orange, Eco Pro — green). Hybrid supercar accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 4.4 seconds, top speed is limited at 250 km / h. Maximum range of i8 is 500 km, of which up to 35 km (at a maximum speed of 120 km / h), it can run using the pure electric. Fuel consumption is amazing sample of German economy: 2.5 liters per 100 km. The level of CO2 in the atmosphere is less than 60 g / km.
Charging the batteries will occur in the following way: charging stations will be located at dealerships and customers will be offered a wall charger. According to the developers, full charge of the sports car can take two hours.
The power is distributed in the 50\50 ratio, and every engine has its own gearbox: for gasoline engine — 6-speed automatic transmission Steptronic (to the rear), for the electric motor — 2-speed Automatic (to the front). Electronic system synchronizes the motors and gearboxes. Couple of words about the suspension. Front is fully independent suspension with double arms, rear has usual 5-link. Disc brakes are used for all wheels, shock absorbers are electronically controlled by Dynamic Damper Control. And BMW i8 is full of various security systems, such as ABS, DSC, CBC, DBC, Brake Standby, Brake Assist, Brake Drying function, Start-Off Assistant, Fading Compensation, etc.
The clearance between road and the body is 115 mm. As for stock, the hybrid has the tires 195/50 R20 for front and 215/45 R20 for rear with alloy rims with five wide spokes. Optionally you can order aluminum and carbon fiber or forged wheels with tires 215/45 R20 for the front and 245/40 R20 for the rear.
BMW i8 is built in an aluminum chassis, sports car body is made of CFRP (Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer). Thanks to lightweight materials such vehicle weight is 1490 kg and these materials provide safety at a very high level for the driver and passenger. By the way 2.8-meter wheelbase allows four people to cruise BMW i8.
As an option the BMW i8 can be equipped with laser head optics which is more compact and powerful than the LED one. Principle of operation of headlights is that the laser lights special fluorescent material that is creating pure white light.
i8 exterior design is unusual and daring enough for a production car, the journalist descriptions had a parallel with fish manta family of stingrays. Futuristic lights, original bumper, flat hood, mirrors on legs. Despite the fact that under the hood is electric motor that does not need refrigeration, designers have retained its original grille, which carries only a decorative function.
Phenomenal appearance combines aerodynamic solutions, such as the proper distribution of the airflow to cool gasoline engine and increase downforce. Generally, such a strange body shape with a low roof and many different ducts, spoilers and diffusers allowed design engineers to achieve a low coefficient of air resistance of 0.26 Cx. Incidentally, the model i8 has the lowest center of gravity compared to other BMW.
In the construction of the body the LifeDrive architecture was used, consisting of upper and lower modules. Lower unit is an aluminum platform, which is attached to petrol engine and an electric motor, the battery pack, power electronics, both the gearbox and suspension components. The upper module is a passenger compartment with the 2 +2 seats, made of reinforced carbon fiber. Doors from the inside are made of carbon fiber too and outside they are aluminum. Germans also replaced some of usual glasses to thinner and heavy-dutyones
For the minuses we can mention low door opening, it causes awkward fall into the seat through wide threshold. The doors are made in the mix of gull wing style and Lambo doors that are very impressive. The rear seats have enough free space only for younger schoolboys. Small trunk with 154 liters of capacity is located directly on the engine, it's hot, so don’t put chocolate there.
Driver and passenger seats have very convenient environment: enough space for legs, comfortable sports position. By the way it is equipped with electric power steering and many functions can be operated from the steering wheel.
Digital dashboard with three modes and color screen, as well as the Head-Up Display located directly in front of the face of the driver. 8.8-inch screen can recognize handwriting show eDrive working, or can show the picture from the cameras. As well there is a navigator, audio system (USB and AUX), seven speakers and a 20Gb hard disk. All this is managed by traditional iDrive controller, placed on the tunnel.
Interior is finished with incredible quality. Everything is made of a combination of leather and fabric and decorated with exclusive chrome inserts. Driver's seat and passenger seat are separated with armrest, with a hidden drawer for small items. All seats are equipped with comfortable lateral support and are electronically managed. Such things as electric handbrake, curtains for both rows of seats and soft LED light highlight the sense of quality and comfort. Atmosphere is managed by climate control in two zones, passive safety is provided by airbags for driver and front passenger.
In Russia, if you want to purchase a hybrid supercar, you have to wait until September and to prepare lots of money, because the price is not specified but European price is around 126.000 EUR and usually Russian price is much higher. However, if in Russia BMW i series get the benefits as an electric car, its price in will be comparable with the European or US prices.
Video is from bmwclub.ru
