BMW’s i8 supercar may have been the most innovative plug-in in the industry
Originally posted on April 21, 2021
Plug-in hybrids are becoming increasingly popular, and full-electric, self-driving vehicles may take over the world one day. And within all of this phenomenal innovation that is unfolding before the word’s eyes, there is something special that catches your eye as it rolls past, and you lose yourself in the Bavarian beauty known as the BMW i8. It’s a sporty, powerful vehicle with a powertrain and structure that Top Gear calls “just as unorthodox and brave as the styling.”
BMW unveiled the i8 at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, and U.S. car. buyers were able to get behind the wheel of their own i8 the following year. BMW released an i8 roadster in 2018 before announcing two years later that production on the vehicle would end in June 2020.
First and foremost, the flash of the BMW i8 isn’t all talk. It’s powered by a 1.5L 3-cylinder turbo engine that’s good for 228 horsepower and is paired with a six-speed automatic AWTF-80 SC transmission made by Aisin Seiki. Then, paired with the gasoline engine over the front axle is a hybrid synchronous motor that spins the front wheels for an additional 129 horsepower. With a combined 357 horsepower, the i8 can accelerate from 0-60 in just over four seconds. It is a sportscar –– there’s no denying that.
BMW focused on the importance of aluminum panels and lower drag coefficients to make the i8 a success. In all-electric mode, the i8 can travel about 15 miles depending on your driving habits, maxing out at a top speed of 75 mph. With the two drivetrains working together, the top speed is limited to 155 mph electronically. This all adds up to an impressive 76 MPGe (an EPA equivalent to mpg).
Read the full article at:
https://www.vehiclehistory.com/articles/bmw-i8-engine-not-all-hybrids-are-created-equal
