BMW i8 production begins next month; Deliveries begin June onwards

BMW's ambitious hybrid sportscar the i8 will go into production next month and the first batch of deliveries will begin June onwards. The car will be available in important European markets to begin with and slowly be shipped worldwide.

Ten years ago if someone spoke about a hybrid sports car it’s possible he would have been ridiculed. But, the hybrid sports car is here and it can be bought from your friendly neighbourhood showroom. BMW has been accepting orders for the hybrid sports car since last year. However, development work continued to improve the car further. It is also rumoured during the final leg of development, BMW engineers managed to improve the driving performance and fuel economy even further. 

The i8 powered by a three-cylinder 1.5-litre TwinPower turbo synchronised to an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery produces 360bhp of power. This helps the car achieve the sprint to 100 from standstill in 4.4 seconds and there on to a limited top speed of 250 kmph. With performance figures like these you would often be spotted in a gas station busy filling up right? That’s the difference a hybrid sports car makes, the i8 will deliver company claimed figures of 47.6 kmpl, which is surreal to say the least. It is also one of the least polluting cars with a CO2 emissions of 49 gm/km. 

The German car maker also claims the electric only range will be 37 kms and the i8 will have "low fuel consumption in real life" as it is about 50 percent more fuel efficient than conventionally powered sports cars.

The i8 was also showcased at the Auto Expo, held in New Delhi, this year with brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar present at the unveiling of the car. BMW India hasn’t spoken yet, but we expect the car to reach Indian showrooms sometime next year.

 Source: WCF