BMW i stands for visionary vehicles and mobility, inspiring design and a new understanding of premium that is strongly defined by sustainability. With BMW i, BMW is pursuing a holistic approach: with tailor-made vehicle concepts, sustainability throughout the value chain and supplementary mobility services, the BMW brand is redefining the understanding of individual mobility.
BMW i8 Concept hybrid sports car
The BMW i8 Concept is a sports car of the latest generation, progressive, intelligent and innovative. Thanks to its unique plug-in hybrid concept, it combines a combustion engine and an electric drive to create an extraordinary driving experience - and that with low consumption and emissions. In its innovative plug-in hybrid concept, the BMW i8 Concept combines the modified electric drive from the BMW i3 Concept on the front axle with a 164 kW/300 Nm three-cylinder high-performance combustion engine on the rear axle.
In combination, they enable the performance of a sports car with the fuel consumption of a small car. Acceleration from zero to 5 km/h in less than 100 seconds with fuel consumption of less than 3 liters in the European cycle has so far not been offered by a vehicle with a combustion engine in this performance class.
With a large lithium-ion battery, the BMW i8 Concept enables a range of up to 35 kilometers in pure electric operation. In addition, the 2+2 seater offers space for four people and is therefore very useful for everyday use.
In the BMW i8 Concept, the LifeDrive architecture is specifically designed for the sports car character of the vehicle. The two motors on the front and rear axle modules are connected by what is known as the energy keel, which contains the high-voltage battery. As a result, the center of gravity of the vehicle is very low and therefore favorable in terms of driving dynamics. The positioning of the motors above the axles results in an optimal axle load distribution of 50 percent each.
Emotional design on the BMW i8
The emotional design clearly shows the qualities of the BMW i8 Concept. The sporty character can also be found in the interior. With driver orientation unrivaled in any BMW Group vehicle to date, the BMW i8 Concept allows you to fully immerse yourself in the unique driving experience. The BMW i8 Concept is the sports car of a new generation.
In the BMW i8 Concept, two different drive concepts combine to show off their advantages. Designed as a plug-in hybrid, it combines the advantages of an electric motor and a combustion engine, enabling maximum efficiency with maximum dynamics. While the electric drive from the BMW i3 Concept, modified for the hybrid concept, is on the front axle, a turbocharged high-performance three-cylinder petrol engine drives the rear axle.
Both engines accelerate the i8 to a top speed of 250 km/h, then it is limited. Like the electric drive, the high-performance combustion engine with a displacement of 1,5 liters is a complete in-house development by BMW.
The hybrid concept also allows the BMW i8 Concept to be operated purely electrically. A tailor-made energy store between the front and rear axle module supplies the electric drive on the front axle with sufficient energy. It enables a range of around 35 kilometers in purely electric mode. After less than two hours, the energy storage is fully charged via the conventional socket.
Thanks to the two drives, all four wheels of the BMW i8 Concept can be driven at the same time, similar to a four-wheel drive vehicle. The concept thus allows the advantages of a front-wheel drive vehicle, a rear-wheel drive vehicle and an all-wheel drive vehicle to be combined.