BMW recently previewed is i3 and i8 electric cars which will be introduced in 2014. The i3 electric car is capable of traveling from 0-62 mph in less than 8 seconds, and its high-speed charger can power the vehicle up to 80% capacity in an hour flat. The spacious interior of the i3 is well equipped for daily driving needs – it seats four and has a boot capacity of 200 liters. The i3 also makes sustainable strides in terms of its material use – the interior is outfitted in renewable raw materials like natural fibers, and all leathers used are naturally tanned.
The BMW i8 concept is a sexy plug-in hybrid sports car built to bring drivers high performance thrills with a low-carbon footprint. The vehicle’s drivetrain combines a modified version of the i3′s electric drive system in the front with a high-performance three-cylinder combustion engine that produces 220 hp at the rear. This hybrid system gives the hybrid electric car impressive torque for a fast acceleration time of 0-62 mph in less than five seconds, while allowing it to travel for 20-30 miles in all-electric mode – perfect for making quick trips around town.
For longer trips, the i8′s combustion engine kicks in and works with the electric drive to allow the car to travel 250-350 miles on a single tank of gas. In terms of mileage, the i8 is able to eek out as much as 94 mpg, with customer fuel consumption expected to fall between 40.4 – 56.5 mpg when driven hard. The vehicles were engineered to have a very low center of gravity, an optimized 50/50 weight distribution, and an ultra lightweight set of components that cancel out the extra weight added by the electric drive system.