BMW i8 - Dailycarblog.com
BMW To Discontinue The i8 Plug-in Hybrid
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That’s discontinued and not discounted. OK, so BMW is going to end production of the BMW i8 Plug-in Hybrid after several years and 20,000 sales. To mark the end of its production lifetime BMW will release one final special edition, the i8 Ultimate Sophistico. Good for them. Production is scheduled to cease in April 2020. In the UK prices start from £116k for the coupe and £128k for the Roadster. You have got to give BMW credit for making such an interesting car.

The made to order sports coupe is powered by an electric motor located in the front axle powering the front wheels rated 96 kW (131 PS; 129 hp) and 250 N⋅m (184 lb⋅ft). A turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine drives the rear wheels and is rated at 164 kW (223 PS; 220 hp) and 300 N⋅m (221 lb⋅ft) of torque.


So why have they decided to end production? It’s been relatively successful. Let’s say on average the cost of a new factory order i8 was around £150k, that’s £3 billion GBP in gross sales. And the i8’s drivetrain and technology were developed for the i3. So the i8 had very minimal development costs other than the usual design, engineering, and tooling & manufacturing costs.

The reason for the demise of the BMW i8 is Tesla. The Tesla Model S offers superior performance, slightly better range, is way more practical, more efficient and cheaper. Tesla has shown that the plug-in hybrid drivetrain is inefficient, or as Elon Musk calls them, “amphibians”. With the ending of the i8, BMW will shift its focus to full electric drivetrains.

Will there be a successor to the i8? Yes, you can bet BMW is working on a new super electric sports car to rival the Porsche Taycan.

For once we didn’t say BMW is premium luxury rubbish… something is wrong here…


BMW i8 - Dailycarblog.com
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