For the third year in a row the drive system powering the BMW i8 has triumphed in its class – the 1.4-litre to 1.8-litre displacement category – at the International Engine of the Year Awards. This award provides further evidence of the performance potential of the Efficient Dynamics technology package, which the BMW Group has committed into since 2007 has enabled a continuous enhancement of driving pleasure while at the same time cutting fuel consumption and emissions.
The plug-in hybrid drive system powering the BMW i8 combines the performance of a sports car with the fuel economy of a far smaller model (fuel consumption combined: 2.1 l/100 km*; CO2 emissions combined: 49.0 g/km*). The three-cylinder 1.5liter turbocharged petrol engine in the BMW i8 develops 231 hp and drives the rear wheels, while the131 hp electric motor draws its energy from a lithium-ion battery. The battery can be charged from a conventional domestic power socket and sends its power to the front axle.
This specially engineered plug-in hybrid system, developed and produced by the BMW Group, enables the i8 to have a range of up to 37 kilometres (23 miles) in the EU test cycle and a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph) on electric power alone, coupled with a “glued-to-the-road” all-wheel driving experience headlined by powerful acceleration and a dynamically-biased distribution of power through keenly taken corners.
The higher-output of the two power sources drives the rear wheels and uses the electric boost from the hybrid system to deliver hallmark BMW driving pleasure while at the same time offering high levels of efficiency. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes just 4.4 seconds, yet combined fuel consumption – as calculated in the EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles – stands at 2.1 litres per 100 kilometres (134.5 mpg imp) plus 11.9 kWh of electricity. This equates to CO2 emissions of 49 grams per kilometre.Oh, and it can still hit 250km/h.
The International Engine of the Year Awards were launched in 1999, since when a total of 68 class and overall wins have gone to power units developed for BMW models. Each year an expert panel of judges, this time comprising 58 motoring journalists from 31 countries, selects the best examples in numerous categories. The prize-winners were presented with their awards on Wednesday, 21 June 2017 against the backdrop of the Engine Expo trade fair in Stuttgart.
* Fuel consumption and CO2 figures were calculated based on the EU test cycle.
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