BMW Unveils i3 and i8 Concept Cars

Today BMW took the wraps off of two concept cars- the BMWi i3 and i8. These are the first two entries in a new BMW sub-brand called BMWi. BMWi will focus on efficient cars powered by fully electric motors, hybrid gasoline-electric systems, or other alternatives to conventional gasoline engines. The i3 is a fully electric city car, with small proportions and lots of interior space to facilitate urban lifestyles. The i3 is powered by a 170hp electric motor and has a range of 93 miles (150km). Its carbon fiber construction gives it a weight of only 1250kg, or about 2750 pounds, slightly less than an E30 3-series. Power goes to the rear wheels in typical BMW fashion, and it gets from 0-62 mph (100kph) in about 8 seconds. The BMW i8, on the other hand, is a full on sportscar with a hybrid drivetrain. Combined, its electric and gasoline motors can propel it to 62mph in under 5 seconds, rivaling cars such as the BMW 335i or M3. The rear wheels are powered by the gasoline engine, while the front gets electric power only. You might recognize the BMW i8- we've seen it before as the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics concept. However, the i8's drivetrain runs on gasoline-electric hybrid system, where the Vision ED concept was diesel powered and only used the combustion engine as a generator to recharge the battery for its electric motors. Check out the gallery of images below, as well as BMWi's videos on YouTube that highlight the two new cars (link below).

Source: BMWUSANews.com

BMWi on YouTube
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BMW i3:




BMW i8: