BMW is now concentrating on the development of the first cars to wear
the “i” logo, hybrid range-extended and full-electric plug-in vehicles.
2013 BMW Sports Cars
Coupe i8 Hybrid is based on the 2009’s Vision Efficient Dynamics
concept model, undergoing cold weather tests in Northern Europe.
BMW
also unveiled a revised version of that model, called the Vision
ConnectedDrive Concept, during this year’s 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The
i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is scheduled to arrive in the market in
2013.
The 2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid is one of two vehicles BMW
has planned for its new green-minded “i” sub-brand. First to arrive
will be the BMW i3, a compact 4-seat electric vehicle intended for urban
driving. Further up the price and performance scale, the i8 will be
powered by a hybrid system incorporating a small gasoline-powered
engine—though the exact specifics and power output have not yet been
released.
BMW has promised that the performance of the 2013 BMW Sports
Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid will be in keeping with that of the brand’s other
sports models. Other vehicles will then be added to the “i” lineup after
the launch of the i3 and i8.
Lightweight
materials—like carbon fiber and aluminum—will make up a big part of the
2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8 Hybrid’s structure. This should help to
offset the weight of the lithium-ion battery pack and other high-tech
hardware beneath the car’s skin. Regenerative braking and BMW’s
stop-start system (which turns off the engine when the car is stopped,
and then restarts it automatically when acceleration is needed) will
almost certainly be included in the 2013 BMW Sports Cars Coupe i8
Hybrid.
BMW R&D chief Klaus Draeger revealed that the diesel unit will be replaced with a gasoline engine
in the production model but while the electric motors will remain. “We
want to sell it all over the world. Diesel is only really relevant to
Europe,” Draeger was quoted as saying.
