BMW i8 hybrid sports car deliveries to begin from June in European markets

BMW has announced it will begin delivery of the i8 cars to the main European markets from June - as series production commences in April. As the development phase continued, BMW engineers completed the statutory type approval, along with achieving a further improvement of key driving performance and fuel consumption data.

Equipped with the BMW eDrive, plug-in hybrid configuration, the i8 combines a century sprint time of 4.4 seconds with an average fuel consumption of 47.6km/L and CO₂ emissions of 49g/km.

The hybrid system comprises of a - twin-turbo charged - 231bhp, 320Nm, rated three-cylinder petrol engine - linked to a 131bhp, 250Nm, rated hybrid synchronous electric motor.

The lithium-ion high-voltage battery and intelligent energy management utilises the combined output of 362bhp to provide the hallmark BMW performance and maximum efficiency.

The balance between driving pleasure and fuel economy is aided by a low vehicle weight of 1,485kg and a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26.

In all-electric mode, the i8 maxes out at 120km/h (250km/h in sport mode) with a range of 37km. Charging times range from less than two hours to up to three hours, depending on the charging station and charger used.

Also BMW believes that the i8 shows extraordinary efficiency not only in standardised testing procedures, but also in everyday usage. In typical everyday commuting, with a fully charged battery, the BMW i8 can deliver between 5L/100km to 8L/100km depending on driving conditions.

In addition, with the i8, BMW introduces the optionally available laser headlights - scheduled for launch from autumn 2014. The i8 is the first production car to offer this lighting technology - which is around 30 percent more energy-efficient than standard LED headlights - while providing a road illumination range of up to 600 metres.