BMW i8 specifications confirmed

With production due to begin next month ahead of the first customer deliveries in June, BMW has finalised the specifications for its new i8.

The car’s eDrive plug-in hybrid system is rated at 356 bhp (266 kW / 362 PS) overall and it consists of three elements. Firstly, there’s a 1.5 litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine that produces 228 bhp (170 kW / 231 PS) with 320 Nm (236 lb/ft) of torque. Its output is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.

BMW i8 (2014) Side

Powering the front wheels is a synchronous electric motor which develops up to 128 bhp (96 kW / 131 PS) and 250 Nm (184 lb/ft). The third component is a 5.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged to 80% capacity in less than two hours using a 3.7 kW / 230V supply.

Running on electric power only, the four-seat i8 is capable of travelling up to 23 miles (37 kilometres). It’s restricted to 75 mph (120 km/h) in this mode, though.

Using all of the available power sources, the top speed rises to an electronically-limited 155 mph (250 km/h) while the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint takes just 4.4 seconds. More importantly, overtaking should be easy as the 50-75 mph (80-120 km/h) increment can be achieved in a mere 2.6 seconds. Such impressive performance partly results from an unladen kerb weight of only 1,485 kg (3,274 lbs) together with a low 0.26 drag coefficient.

BMW i8 (2014) Rear Side

The official EU test cycle yields a fuel consumption figure of 134.5 mpg (2.1 l/100 km) with carbon dioxide emissions of 49 g/km. However, given the battery pack’s capability BMW is managing expectations by pointing out that on longer, higher-speed journeys owners should realistically expect to see around 35 mpg (8 l/100km).

In the UK the BMW i8 is priced from £99,895, so it’s definitely not going to be the cheapest route to fuel-efficient motoring.

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