BMW releases a new video of the 2014 BMW i8. The new video feature was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi where the first spy photos of the i8 emerged in late 2010.
Back in November, we were one of the very few and fortunate people to receive some co-driving time in a similar production vehicle, but the car was sporting the usual psychedelic camouflage. The car spotted at Abu Dhabi seem to feature a matte gray paint with a blue shade on the sides.
Developed under the Project i umbrella, Vision EfficientDynamics will make its debut as a production car at the end of 2013, with deliveries beginning in early 2014. The EfficientDynamics Concept features a 1.5 liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 163 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque all on its own.
According to Dr. Philip Koehn, Head of Vision EfficientDynamics project, his engineers were looking for the smallest engine produced by BMW and fortunately, an experimental unit was found on the premises. The diesel engined is aided by two electric engines.
First one, in a rear-end placement, produces a constant 33 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque. The second electric motor sits at the front of the car for a perfect weight distribution. The electric unit outputs 80 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. A temporary boost feature meant that for 30 seconds it could produce 112 horsepower or as much as 139 horsepower for just 10 seconds. The 1,450 kg sports car runs from 0-62 mph in only 4.8 seconds, performance that brings it at the same level as the current M3.
The car will charge from a conventional power socket in just 2.5 hours, and BMW indicated its fuel efficiency will approach 90 miles per gallon The car will have an electric-only driving range of about 31 miles, while diesel power extends the total range of the vehicle to up to 435 miles.
BMW i8 launches in 2014.
