BMW showcases the i8 at the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo

BMW India has been very busy this year at the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo, with the Indian premiere of the new-gen 7 Series and the all-new X1. BMW has also showcased its hybrid sports car, BMW i8, at its pavilion. The BMW i8 was produced to showcase the company’s sophisticated technology which will slowly make its way to other models, soon in the future.

The BMW i8 is fitted with an intelligent plug-in hybrid system that combines an electric motor and a petrol engine for extracting highest efficiency and maximum dynamics. The electric drive that powers the front wheels produces a maximum power of 131 hp.

A BMW TwinPower Turbo 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine drives the rear axle and produces a maximum of 231 hp. Together, the two units deliver a total of 362 hp, that can make the i8 sprint from 0 to 100 km/hr in just 4.4 seconds. The fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are a record low 47.45 km/l and emission of 50.36 g/km respectively. The power to the rear is transferred through a six-speed automatic gearbox while a two-stage automatic transmission channels the power to the front wheels.

The BMW i8 gets its own version of the LifeDrive architecture, which was developed for BMW i models giving them a unique combination of lightweight design and safety. The LifeDrive architecture consists of two separate, independent modules with the combustion engine and electric motor, battery pack, power electronics, chassis components, and structure and crash functions are arranged together in the aluminum Drive module and 2+2-seater carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell.

This has resulted in an unprecedented dimension in weight optimisation, with the curb weight of the BMW i8 at just 1,490 kg. The battery unit is positioned low down in a central position, providing the car a low center of gravity. The BMW i8 is less than 460 millimeters from the ground and has a near perfect 50 : 50 weight distribution, ensuring excellent handling.

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