The BMW pavilion at the Expo showcased a car many of you might have seen in the Hollywood action film ‘Mission Impossible 4’. The BMW i8 is being touted as the “most progressive sports car of present time,” and it might well be. Or is it?
The i8 features a plug-in hybrid system, which, BMW claims, combines the benefits of an electric motor and a petrol engine into an extraordinary driving experience. You get far better fuel efficiency as well as verve in the same package. Now, anybody worth his wheels will know that moderation and performance aren’t happy bedmates. So, how this new Bimmer, the i8, made them sleep together, happily?
The ‘LifeDrive’ vehicle architecture, with which the i8 is distilled with, significantly contributes towards weight reduction. It includes the ‘Life’ module comprising passenger cell made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and the ‘Drive’ module comprising an aluminium frame for the combustion engine and electric motor, the battery pack and the suspension. Meaning, the engine/s of the i8 has less weight to push about.
The engine/s – 131 bhp electric drive tied to the front axle. The rear is driven by the TwinPower Turbo 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder petrol good for 231 bhp. Add them up together and you get a thrilling 362 bhp worth of whack capable of launching the 1490 kg of i8 and you from 0 to 100 kmph in just 4.4 secs. That’s rocketry; not automobile!
The smart chips and bytes in the i8 also mean that the car uses the most efficient drive depending on the accelerator pedal input. You consume less (40 kmpl) therefore you poop less (59 gram carbon/km). It’s a pity this technology is not widely used.
The geeky gorgeous BMW i8 will be launched in India as a CBU by the end of 2014.
Complete Coverage of Auto Expo 2014
BMW i8 Pic Gallery
