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Translogic 153: 2015 BMW i8

The 2015 BMW i8 is the second model in the Bavarian automaker's eco-friendly i-branded lineup. The i8's plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with a 96-kilowatt electric motor to make 357 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. Together, this gas-electric mechanical duo is capable of propelling the groundbreaking carbon-fiber sports coupe from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 4.2 seconds.
Join Translogic host Jonathon Buckley as he heads to Santa Monica, CA for a chance to drive the all-new BMW i8.

BMW says 80 percent of i3 plug-in EV buyers come from other brands

BMW is feeling continued good vibes from its recently launched i sub-brand of plug-in vehicles. The German automaker, which started selling its i3 battery-electric vehicle in Europe late last year, is finding better-than-expected demand for both the i3 and the i8 plug-in hybrid, Automotive News Europe says, citing an interview with BMW executive Ian Robertson. The i3 is attracting a lot of new blood, too. Robertson said about 80 percent of new i3 owners were not previously Ultimate Driving Machine loyalists, indicating the curiosity factor for the company's new plug-in models runs high, Robertson says. BMW has sold more than 3,000 i3 vehicles since debuting the model in Europe last November. In April, the company boosted daily production of the i3 from its German factory to about 100 units from 70. Read more from Robertson here. Europe's largest markets for the i3 are the UK, Germany and Norway. In the US, BMW sold 336 i3 vehicles in May, its first month of sales here. The i3 was recently rated to go 81 miles on a single charge when it has an electric engine only. When equipped with gas-powered range-extender, the car can go 72 miles on a single charge and another 78 on gas. Check here for our First Drive impressions of the i3.

BMW preparing 'optimized driveline' for i3, provides more range

Autocar reports that BMW is preparing upgrades for the all-electric i3 that will greatly extend its range. Company sources called it an "optimized driveline," powered by a new, 22-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. That's the same capacity as the battery in the current hatchback but it will have a higher density. Combined with improved electronics and new software for battery cooling and the electric motor, Autocar's unnamed BMW source said the new internals will be good for "well over 124 miles in real-world use." The Environmental Protection Agency rates the present i3 as having 81 miles of range, meaning this tweaked version would be a 50-percent improvement if that range number applies to the US market (it's likely the more lenient European number, since Autocar is a UK publication). BMW said the update takes advantage of gains in battery efficiency over the past two years. The i3 with the range extending engine would also get the update, and current owners will reportedly (and surprisingly) be able to purchase the revised powertrain for retrofitting. The Autocar report appears to back up a recent article in German newspaper Die Zeit in which BMW CEO Harald Kruger said the the i3 will get more range next year, and "Another technology leap is going to come in three or four years." The i3 was designed for to make these kinds of upgrades easy to manage. We wait to find out when it will be available, whether it will increase the price of a new car, and how much it will cost current owners to retrofit. Featured Gallery BMW i3 Shadow Sport Edition: LA 2015 News Source: Autocar via World Car FansImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Green BMW Hatchback Electric Luxury range anxiety bmw i3 rex