It may start from $136,500 in the United States and €130,000 in Germany, but apparently the BMW i8 is in such high demand that the automaker has recently doubled production.
Currently, buyers of the plug-in hybrid sports car have to wait four and a half months for their vehicles to be delivered, BMW production boss Harald Krueger said at the company’s annual press conference. And that’s despite the fact that BMW has recently doubled i8 production at its plant in Leipzig, Germany, to 20 cars a day. Krueger explained the long waiting list with the fact that demand for the i8 continues to rise.
BMW sold 17,800 i3 and i8 models worldwide in 2014, 16,052 of which were i3s and 1,748 i8s. The United States accounted for more than a third of global 2014 sales, with 6,647 i vehicles sold: 6,092 i3s and 555 i8s.
Story references: Automobil Produktion
9/12/2011
BMW, BMW Concept, BMW coupe, BMW Hybrid, BMW i8, BMW i8 Concept, BMW Plug-in, Concept, Coupe, Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, i8, Plug-In
The sportiest member of the i series models combines the modified electric drive system from the i3 Concept, but this time fitted over its front axle instead of the rear, with a high-performance, 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine (in place of the Vision ED's diesel unit) developing 220HP (164kW) and 300 Nm (221 lb.ft) at the rear.
The gasoline unit drives the rear wheels through a dual clutch transmission, while the electric motor uses a twin-speed transmission to motivate the front wheels.
Working in tandem, the two drive systems produce a combined output of 349-horses and 550Nm (405.6 lb.ft) of peak torque offering coupe model a 0-100km/h (62mph) acceleration time of just 4.6 seconds and an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h (155mph).
At the same time, BMW says the i8 returns an impressive combined fuel economy in the European cycle of 2.7 liters per 100km (approx. 87mpg US or 104mpg UK).
The i8's electric motor is fed by a large lithium-ion battery, which can be fully charged from a domestic power supply in 1 hour and 45 minutes, offering a pure electric driving range of up to 35 km (approx. 20 miles).
BMW says the positioning of the electric motor and engine over their respective axles result in an optimum 50/50 weight distribution, while the extensive use of lightweight materials including aluminum on the chassis and CFRP (carbonfibre reinforced plastic) on the body, help keep the weight down to 1,480kg or 3,262 pounds.
The i8 2+2 seater and measures 4,632mm long, 1,280 mm tall and 1,955 wide. The concept model will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
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