Frankfurt Motor Show: BMW i3 & i8 Concept Cars

The BMW i3 and i8 Concept cars showcase Munich's first-ever production electric cars: the i3 all-electric city car and the i8 plug-in hybrid sports coupe. Crucially, BMW emphasizes that all cars under the new i sub-brand will possess performance levels and driving dynamics consistent with the BMW brand.

The i3 and i8 are based on the “LifeDrive” architecture, which consists of an aluminium-framed Drive module holding the powertrain and suspension that is mated to a Life passenger capsule constructed from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). The “Stream Flow” styling theme blends glossy black and silver body portions to create a futuristic look, accented by blue tinting.

Set to launch in 2013, the five-door i3 hatchback may be smaller than all current BMW models, but it offers four adult occupants plenty of room, good access thanks to two pairs of wide-opening doors, and excellent all-round visibility out of the i3's upright stance. There is also a loading capacity of 200 litres behind the rear seats.

The i3 draws power from a plug-in electric powertrain made up of a compact electric motor, mounted over the rear axle, that drives the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission. Fully rechargeable in six hours, a lithium-ion battery pack, built into the central section of the floor, supplies energy to the motor.

With 170 hp and 250 Nm on tap, the i3 accelerates from rest to 60 km/h in 3.9 seconds and from rest to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, and reaches an electronically-limited 150 km/h. A full charge of the batteries provides a driving range of between 120 km to 160 km, which can be increased with an optional range extender package that uses a petrol engine to run a generator to recharge the batteries.

The 2013 two-door, four-seater i8 sports coupe comes with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. A 131 hp, 250 Nm electric motor, located over the front axle, drives the front wheels via a twin-speed transmission. A 223 hp, 300 Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine over the rear axle drives the rear wheels through a dual-clutch transmission.

The powertrain has a combined output of 354 hp and 550 Nm, which is enough to propel the 1480 kg i8 from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds and on to an electronically-limited 250 km/h. Fuel consumption is impressively low at 37 km/litre for that kind of performance. A full charge of the lithium-ion batteries, which takes less than two hours, offers an all-electric driving range of 35 km.