BMW Unveils i3 BEV and i8 PHEV Concepts

In brief: BMW unveiled its i3 and i8 concept cars in Frankfurt as the first production cars in the company's new "i" brand.

Vehicle in the news

Make/Model: i3, i8 concepts
Manufacturer: BMW

The word

The i3 will release in 2013 and the i8 in 2014 as a battery electric (BEV) and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), respectively.

The i3 features a rear-wheel drive all electric drive train for the urban environment. Its 125kW motor and 250Nm of torque include a range of about 93 miles per charge which can be extended with an optional gasoline-powered range extender. The i3 has BMW's LifeDrive architecture with a carbon passenger cell and a low weight of only 1,250kg and very high crash safety level. It seats 4 with 7 cubic feet of luggage space.

The i8 is a plug-in hybrid with a front-axle motor and rear-axle internal combustion engine (ICE). The 125kW motor can operate the vehicle for short distances from batteries and work in conjunction with the 220hp turbocharged 3-cylinder, 1.5L gasoline engine (300Nm torque) on the rear axle. Top speed is 155mph.

And so ...

Interesting and much-anticipated concepts. The specs shown at Frankfurt are expected to be the final production specifications for the cars.

Photo credits: BMW