THE FUTURE - BMW i8 - SPEED SCIENCE

BMW i8

BMW i8

A Plug-in hybrid that drives like a super car, the BMW i8 is a step into the future. This eco-friendly green car is solely built on electric drive train. The i8 completely looks and performs like a supercar. The BMW i8 achieves its great fuel economy form a power train that combines a highly efficient 3-cylinder gas powered engine with a starter generator and electric motor. This system is called e-drive. The i8 has a fuel efficiency of 2.1 L/100 km – wow!. BMW has made a special structure for their i series called Life-Drive. Company claims this is the first vehicle architecture designed specifically for electric cars. BMW’s Life-Drive platform makes use of light-weight materials. These cars will come with an aluminum chassis, and in the case of the i8, the windshield, top, doors and fenders are made from polycarbonate glass, with the body having a drag coefficient of 0.26. Like many other supercars, i8’s monocoque is made with Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic. The i8 weighs only 1485 kgs. Global sales since mid-2014 totaled more than 10,000 BMW i8s by early November 2016, making the i8 the world's top selling plug-in electrified sports car. The World Car of the Year organization declared the i8 as the winner of the 2015 World Green Car Award. The i8 famously appeared in 2011 movie Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol.

BMW i8 in Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol

PERFORMANCE

The BMW i8 features a 1.5 litre B38A15T0 turbocharged I3 engine which produces 228 bhp and hybrid synchronous motors which produce 129 bhp combinely producing 357 bhp. The BMW i8 can go from 0–100 kmph in 4.4 seconds and has a top speed of 250 kmph. It further features a Aisin F21-360 FT EOP Transmission. The i8 delivers fabulous fuel economy. 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 under the NEDC cycle. Under the EPA cycle, the range in EV mode is 24 km, with a gasoline consumption of 0.1 gallons per 160 km, and as a result, EPA's all-electric range is zero. The total range is 530 km. It features butterfly doors, head-up display, rear-view cameras and partially false engine noise. It is the first production car with laser headlights, reaching further than LED lights. The driver can also select several driving modes: SPORT, COMFORT and ECO PRO. 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. 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.

BMW i8's Engine Design

DESIGN

The BMW i8 is a 2+2 seater sports car or grand tourer. The structure of overlapping and interlocking surfaces – lent additional emphasis by the car’s color concept – also contributes to the unmistakable appearance of the BMW i8. The scissor doors which open forwards and upwards like wings, add extra intrigue to the sports car design of the BMW i8. The extremely broad BMW kidney grille stretches over to the slim headlights, accentuating the width of the BMW i8 and its road-focused stance. The car’s full-LED headlights adopt the hallmark U-shape of BMW i models. The dipped and high-beam light is emitted by a lens positioned on the far outer edge of the light units. The sloping rear window opens high, allowing easy access to the storage compartment located underneath. The rear lights, reflectors and rear diffuser form a single visual unit that strengthens the car’s already powerful appearance. Like the headlights, the intricately designed rear light clusters also feature the characteristic BMW i U-shaped design. The direction indicators are integrated above the rear lights into the downsweep of the roofline. All of the lights on the BMW i8 are LEDs as standard.

BMW i8's Scissor Doors

INTERIOR

The sporty look of the exterior is continued seamlessly in the interior of the BMW i8. All elements are light and dynamically positioned. In the interior, the layering principle creates a novel relationship between functionality and clear form. Lightweight construction is also implemented visually; for example, the visible carbon elements in the door sill highlight the low weight of the BMW i8. The classic sports car character and the typical BMW driver orientation are both equally prominent in the design. The centre console is aligned towards the driver. All the instruments and the digital instrument panel with its two large displays are easy to operate. All passengers have a low seating position and the narrow lightweight seats provide reliable support and outstanding of comfort even when cornering rapidly. The iDrive Controller is conveniently located on the centre console that optically bisects the vehicle. The multi function display in i8’s cockpit is tailored to customer specifications. The instrument panel display changes depending on the driving modes featuring 3D graphics and dynamic range display. The centre console houses the gear selector, iDrive operating control system, Start/Stop button and driving experience control switch.