German luxury car maker BMW, on Wednesday, introduced its new high-end hybrid sports car i8. Launched at a function here, the car is the first high-performance plug-in hybrid from its sub-brand BMW i.
Priced at a steep Rs.2.29 crore, the car is available in BMW i dealerships in Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai as a completely built-up unit.
“The car was showcased in New Delhi as a concept car four years ago. These vehicles have been designed since 2007 as ‘Project i’ — sustainable mobility solutions. This iconic change is inevitable,” BMW Group India President Philipp von Sahr said at the launch.
(Brand Ambassador Sachin Tendulkar at the launch. Photo: Paul Noronha/The Hindu)
The intelligent plug-in hybrid system in the BMW i8 combines benefits of an electric motor and a petrol engine. The electric drive is powered by a 96 kW (131 hp) lithium-ion battery located on the front axle while the rear axle is driven by BMW TwinPower 1.5 litre three-cylinder petrol engine with 170 kW (231 hp) peak performance. The two units together deliver 362 hp, and the car can accelerate from zero to 100 km in 4.4 seconds.
On battery power, it reaches 120 kilometres per hour (kmph) with a range of 35 kilometres. With the combustion engine, the electric motor takes it to 250 kmph. The average fuel consumption is at 47.45 km a litre and carbon dioxide emission is at 50.36 g/km.
“Most futuristic technologies used in the BMW i8 are already implemented in current BMW models in some form or other that enable enhanced performance and lower emissions,’’ he said.
BMW i to date had sold more than 18,000 cars worldwide, Mr. von Sahr said, adding that the Indian market was still at a nascent stage for electric and hybrid vehicles.
