Wheels magazine has just returned from Frankfurt, where BMW flew us to witness the official unveiling of the first two vehicles from its new ‘i’ sub brand - the i3 and i8 concepts - which open a whole new chapter in sustainable motoring for the German automaker.
Teased earlier this year as the Megacity vehicle, the i3 will be Munich’s first mass-produced all-electric car and as its initial name suggests, is positioned as an urban commuter. The i3 is powered by a 170bhp electric motor mounted over the rear axle. With an impressive 250Nm of torque, the motor’s capable of propelling the 1,250kg car from 0-100kph in less than eight seconds. It’s got a claimed driving range of up to 160km on a single charge, which takes about six hours. However, BMW says there’s a fast charging option wherein 80 per cent of the battery can be charged in just an hour. The i3 is expected to go on sale in 2013.
But what got us more interested is the second car in the eco line-up, which is aimed at the other end of the spectrum. A plug-in hybrid, the i8 is a true performance car powered by a 1.5-litre three cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that’s good for 220bhp and 300Nm driving the rear axle. It works in tandem with an electric motor, the same one from the i3. Weighing 1,480kg, the i8 does the 0-100kph dash in less than five seconds. It can also cover a distance of up to 35km on electric power alone. With ravishing looks to boot, it indeed is the best of both worlds.
And the best thing is we’ve been told that 90 per cent of what you see here is going to make it to production.
