BMW i8

BMW i8 is one of the most stunning sportscar and arguably the most aesthetically pleasing plug-in hybrid of all time. Regrettably, the design seems to be the only department in which this futuristic hybrid machine seems to be leading the way. Except for the hypercar-spaceship design language, there is nothing exciting about this hybrid machine. Whether it is the all-electric driving range or the performance of its powertrain, BMW i8 cannot match the performance of a fine sports car or the efficiency of a frugal plug-in hybrid available in the market today. BMW i8’s silver lining is the vision it represents which was marked as a pioneering milestone by the Bavarian company in the hybrid sportscar segment.

In 2018, a soft-top Roadster version of the BMW i8 coupe was added to the car's lineup. The convertible now features an electric two-piece soft-top folding roof which falls away neatly into space where the rear seats used to be and unlike the coupe, the roadster only gets two-seat set up in lieu of the two-plus-two arrangement of the hard-top variant. The electric driving range of the Roadster has also been enhanced to offer three extra miles on a full charge.

BMW i8’s infotainment system is now powered by the company’s iDrive 6.0 software which only supports Apple CarPlay. The system can be accessed by an 8.8-inch touchscreen panel which sits on top of the dashboard. The iDrive 6.0 system is quite intuitive and can also found in some of the more inexpensive Beemers. Other standard features shared between the two variants include 20-inch wheels, adaptive suspension, leather-trimmed seats and the optional ‘Tera World’ package which adds blue accents to the car’s exterior and features black brake calipers.

BMW’s approach with the i8 was one of design versus practicality but even so, the passenger in the front seat and the driver don’t feel cramped in their respective spaces. The space occupied by the folding top in the Roadster features two jump seats in the Coupe. 

BMW i8 is powered by a hybrid unit which comprises of a 1.5-liter, turbocharged 3-cylinder gas engine which comes mated to a pair of electric motors powered by an 11.6 kWh battery pack. The battery pack can be charged to a 100% capacity in 3 hours and the hybrid powertrain produces a combined power output of 369 BHP and 420 lb-ft of torque. Both variants get an all-wheel-drive system but varying 0 to 60 acceleration times. The Coupe accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds whereas the Roadster takes 4.4 seconds to complete the same sprint.

BMW I8's EPA fuel economy at 69 MPG seems quite impressive especially considering the 11.1-gallon fuel tank, however, these stats are not corroborated in real-world MPG reports by i8 owners. These reports claim that i8 does not fare well against best-in-class hybrids but still manages to trump most sports cars when it comes to fuel economy. For driver-assistance systems and safety features, BMW i8 only gets automated emergency braking, forward collision warning and front, and rear parking sensors as standard.