BMW Asia recently showcased the production-ready all-electric BMW i3 and the BMW i8 Concept sports car at the BMW i: The Future of Mobility, Singapore Showcase 2013.
Held from 21 to 25 August at the BMW i Space – an enclosed exhibition arena in front of ION Orchard, the event serves to showcase state-of-the-art technology to the public, such as the carbon fibre technology and the electric drive technology that powers the mobility of the future.
At the ‘BMW i: The Future of Mobility’ event in Singapore, BMW Asia showcases two BMW i vehicles. The first is the BMW i3. Previously known as the Megacity Vehicle, the BMW Group’s first series-produced all-electric car focuses squarely on the mobility challenges of the future in urban areas. As the first premium electric vehicle, the BMW i3 reinvents hallmark BMW attributes for the drivers of the future.
The familiar sense of driving pleasure embodied by the BMW i3 is the result of a rigorously implemented overall concept, part of which has involved creating the optimum balance of weight, performance and range for urban mobility. The key elements here are the LifeDrive architecture and BMW eDrive technology. The use of lightweight CFRP for the passenger cell cancels out the extra weight contributed by the lithium-ion battery, while the low, central positioning of the battery pack enhances the car’s agility thanks to perfectly balanced 50:50 weight distribution. Additionally, the electric motor mounted in close proximity to the driven rear axle offers unique performance characteristics for this type of drive system as well as providing unbeatable traction. The driving characteristics of the BMW i3 are dominated by its maneuverability – a direct response to the demands of city driving. The instantaneous power delivery of the electric motor, allied to the car’s stiff suspension set-up, precise steering and impressively small turning circle (9.86 meters), produces a typically BMW take on electric mobility.
The electric motor generates output of 170 hp and peak torque of 250 Nm, which is available on tap from standstill. The motor weighs just 50 kilograms and boasts power density and responsiveness unprecedented in the world of electric mobility. The specific construction of the hybrid synchronous electric motor, developed exclusively for the BMW i3, maintains a linear flow of power into the higher reaches of the rev range. The BMW i3 sprints from 0 to 60 km/h in a mere 3.7 seconds and 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds.
The second is the BMW i8 Concept, a sports car of the most contemporary variety – forward-looking, intelligent and innovative. Its unique plug-in hybrid solution brings together a combustion engine and an electric drive system to create an extraordinary driving experience complemented by extremely low fuel consumption and emissions.
The emotional design of the BMW i8 Concept, which is on display in Singapore, ensures its qualities are clear for all to see. Its dynamic proportions give the BMW i8 Concept the appearance of surging forward before it even turns a wheel and lend visual form to its extraordinary performance. The sophisticated concept behind the upward-swiveling doors fixed to the A-pillars underlines the car’s sporting capability and opens up access to the front and rear seats at the same time.
A series of air inlets allow the air to flow through and around the vehicle to optimum effect, ensuring extremely low drag. They also add visual emphasis to these advanced aerodynamics. Airflow plays an extremely important role at the rear of the vehicle as well. Intakes behind the passenger cell and at the rear provide a cooling flow of air through the engine compartment, while outlets in the rear diffuser and the flow of air around the rear wheels ensure the car is extremely efficient in terms of lift and down force at both axles.
The BMW i8, meanwhile, is designed from the outset as a plug-in hybrid sports car, with the emphasis on agile performance and outstanding efficiency. Pairing an exceptionally lightweight, aerodynamically optimized body with cutting-edge BMW eDrive technology, a compact, highly turbocharged 1.5-litre BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine and intelligent energy management, the BMW i8 marks the next stage in the evolution of the Efficient Dynamics strategy. It can operate solely on electric power, which means zero tailpipe emissions, and offers the dynamic performance of a sports car, with an expected 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.5 seconds. The BMW i8’s 231 hp petrol engine sends its power to the rear wheels, while the 131 hp electric motor powers the front wheels.
This configuration offers all-electric driving capability with a range of up to 35km and a top speed of 120km/h. With both drive systems engaged, a total of 362 hp can be unleashed to offer road-hugging all wheel-drive performance with powerful acceleration and dynamic torque vectoring during sporty cornering. The more powerful of the two power plants drives the rear wheels. The hybrid system supplements this with power from the electric motor to deliver typical BMW driving pleasure combined with groundbreaking efficiency. Calculated using the EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles, the average fuel consumption of the BMW i8 will be less than 2.5 litres/100km with CO2 emissions of less than 59 grams per kilometre.
