BMW

BMW i8

The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid sports car developed by BMW. The i8 was part of BMW's electrified fleet and was marketed under the BMW i sub-brand. The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and was released in Germany in June 2014. Deliveries to retail customers in the U.S. began in August 2014. A roadster variant was launched in May 2018. Production ended in June 2020. The 2015 i8 could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds and had an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). The 2015 model year i8 had a 7.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that delivered an all-electric range of 37 km (23 mi) under the New European Driving Cycle. Under the U.S. EPA cycle, the range in EV mode was 24 km (15 mi). The battery capacity of both the BMW i8 Roadster and the i8 Coupe was increased to 11.6 kWh in 2018, allowing the NEDC electric range to rise to 55 km (34 mi) for the coupé and 53 km (33 mi) for the roadster. The i8 coupé had a fuel efficiency of 2.1 L/100 km (134.5 mpg‑imp; 112.0 mpg‑US) under the NEDC test with carbon emissions of 49 g/km. The EPA rated the i8 combined fuel economy at 76 MPGe (2.1 L gasoline-equivalent/100 km; 91 mpg-imp gasoline-equivalent) and 29 miles per gallon (6.7L/100 km) when running in pure gasoline mode.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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History

Previewed by the Vision EfficientDynamics concept car, the i8 was part of BMW's "Project i" and was marketed as a new brand, BMW i, sold separately from BMW or Mini. The BMW i3, launched for customers in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2013, was the first model of the i brand available in the market, and it was followed by the i8, released in Germany in June 2014 as a 2015 model year. Other i models were expected to follow. The turbodiesel concept car was unveiled at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany, In 2010, BMW announced the mass production of the Vision EfficientDynamics concept in Leipzig beginning in 2013 as the BMW i8. The BMW i8 gasoline-powered concept car destined for production was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 International Motor Show Germany. The following are the concept and pre-production models developed by BMW that preceded the production version. When BMW i sponsored the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, they announced that they would provide support vehicles; the i8 operated as the official safety car. BMW Vision EfficientDynamics (2009). The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics was a plug-in hybrid concept car with a 1.5L three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Additionally, there were two electric motors with 104 kW (139 hp). It allowed for acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). According to BMW, the average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle (KV01) was 3.76 L/100 km (75.1 mpg‑imp), with a carbon dioxide emission rating of 99 grams per kilometer (1,3 L/100 km and 33g CO2/kabelham; EU-PHEV ECE-R101). The estimated all-electric range was 50 km (31 mi), and the 24-liter petrol tank extended the

Production version

The production BMW i8 was designed by Benoit Jacob. The production version was unveiled at the 2013 International Motor Show Germany, followed by 2013 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Its design was heavily influenced by the BMW M1 Homage concept car, which in turn pays homage to BMW's last production mid-engined sports car prior to the i8: the BMW M1. The BMW i8 featured butterfly doors, head-up display, rear-view cameras and partially false engine noise. Series production of customer vehicles began in April 2014. The electric two-speed drivetrain was developed and produced by GKN. It was the first production car with laser headlights, reaching farther than LED lights. The i8 had a vehicle weight of 1,485 kg (3,274 lb) (DIN kerb weight) and a low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26. In all-electric mode, the BMW i8 had a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). In Sport mode, the i8 delivered a mid-range acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h (50 to 75 mph) in 2.6 seconds. The electronically controlled top speed was 250 km/h (155 mph). The 20,000th i8 was produced in December 2019, one of the limited Ultimate Sophisto Edition models. The last i8 rolled off the production line on 11 June 2020. In total, there were 20,465 units produced: 16,581 coupés and 3,884 roadsters. Range and fuel economy. The production i8 had a 7.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a usable capacity of 5.2 kWh and intelligent energy management that delivered an all-electric range of 37 km (23 mi) under the NEDC cycle. Under the EPA cycle, the range in EV mode was 15 mi (24 km), and the total range was 330 mi (530 km). The production version had a fuel efficiency of 2.1 L/100 km (134.5 mpg‑imp; 112.0 mpg‑US) under the NEDC test with carbon emissions of 49 g/km. Under EPA cycle, the i8 combined fuel economy in EV mode was r

Sales and markets

BMW originally planned to sell the i8 in about 50 countries, with the U.S. expected to be the largest sales market. In Europe, BMW expected the UK, Germany and France to be the top markets. Global deliveries to retail customers totaled 1,741 units in 2014, and 5,456 in 2015, totaling cumulative sales of 7,197 units worldwide through December 2015. In 2015, global sales of the BMW i8 exceeded the combined figure of all other hybrid sports cars produced by other manufacturers. Global cumulative sales reached more than 10,000 BMW i8s by early November 2016, representing 10% of BMW's global electrified model sales. By March 2020, worldwide sales since inception totaled more than 20,000 units, making the i8 the world's top selling plug-in electric sports cars, and exceeding sales of all competitors in its segment combined. Australia. Deliveries in Australia for the i8 commenced in March 2015, priced at $299,000 AUD. 155 units of the i8 were sold in Australia by the end of its production. Unlike international sales process where the i3 and i8 were sold at dedicated BMW i Stores, Australia had six dedicated dealers across the country that were authorized to sell the i8: BMW Melbourne (South Melbourne, Victoria), BMW Sydney (Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales), Brisbane BMW (Fortitude Valley, Queensland), Perth Auto Classic (Burswood, Western Australia), Adelaide BMW (West Terrace, South Australia) and Rolfe Classic (Phillip, Australian Capital Territory). Service and repair facilities for the BMW i8 were available at 11 authorized BMW dealers around Australia. China. Pricing in China started at CN¥1.988 million (~US$323,000). Initially, sales of the BMW i brand vehicles were limited to seven dealerships in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Shenyang. BMW expected combined sales of

Awards and Recognition

In July 2012, the BMW i8 won the 2012 North American Concept Vehicle of the Year. The BMW i8 Spyder won the 2013 Best Production Preview Vehicle award. The i8 won AutoGuide's 2015 Reader's Choice Green Car of the Year. BMW's i8 was the winner of the title 'World Green car of the Year' at Fame India Eco Drive 2015. It also was selected as Autoblog's 2014 Technology of the Year. Top Gear Magazine awarded the i8 with their Car of the Year award for 2014. Green Car Journal awarded the BMW i8 with its 2015 Luxury Green Car of the Year. The i8 won the UK Car of the Year 2015 and also UK Performance Car of the Year 2015. The World Car of the Year organization declared the i8 as the winner of the 2015 World Green Car Award. In 2023, Top Gear named the i8 the best car of the last 30 years.

Reception

The BMW i8 received mixed reviews from the public, with discussions typically focusing on the contrast between the vehicle's exotic styling and its hybrid powertrain. Upon release, critics praised the i8's futuristic design and butterfly doors, while automotive journalists noted that while the carbon fibre chassis allowed for sharp handling, the three-cylinder engine and electric motors fell short of the straight-line performance expected at its premium price point.

Marketing

Louis Vuitton produced a series of carbon-black luggage for BMW i8, which included the Weekender GM i8, Garment Bag i8, Business Case i8, and Weekender PM i8. The luggage series went on sale in a selection of Louis Vuitton stores worldwide (Munich, Milan, London, Paris, Moscow, Dubai, New York, and Los Angeles) starting on 1 April 2014.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q796799CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_i8CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1372261669 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BMW_i8_(I12)_Washington_DC_Metro_Area,_USA.jpgCC BY 4.0 · Photo: OWS Photography · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Manufacturer website (link only) — https://web.archive.org/web/20130915065351/http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicles/i/i8/2013/showroom/index.htmlLink only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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