Vehicles that look like the BMW i8 Roadster were once reserved for concept car sketches, or for appearances on the big-screen where they flew around in space, firing lasers at each other.
Today, the latest version of BMW’s partial-electric exotic blends a futuristic look with a futuristic powertrain for a plug-in hybrid-propelled roadster with 370 horsepower, a fuel bill like a Ford Fiesta, and a taste of things to come from the world of electric performance motoring.
This car is the near future. The plug-in hybrid drivetrain represents the direction many an automaker is heading, and its blend of thrilling power and exceptionally low fuel use reflects the way cars are heading and the way many shoppers are heading, too.
As BMW’s most cutting-edge car, the i8 Roadster comes with a massive sticker price, though the technology is here to stay. In a way, the i8 is a rolling technological gene-pool from which future products will draw.
“So, like, how’s that work?”
That’s a common question that comes your way arriving anywhere in the i8. The look draws stares and crowds, and the upward-hinged wasp-wing doors make quite the scene when getting in and out.
How the i8 works is as follows:
A 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbo engine is mounted behind the passenger cell. It drives the rear wheels, as well as an electrical generator. That generator supplies electricity, used to recharge the hybrid battery pack stuffed in behind the rear seats.
This battery pack can be charged further by plugging the i8 into a power outlet or charging station. Up front, the front wheels are attached to an electric motor, powered by the electricity stored in the battery pack.
At any moment, some combination of electric power applied to the front wheels, and gasoline power applied to the rear, is whisking the i8 along. Drivers can select the eDrive mode, which sees the i8 run solely on stored electricity. In eDrive mode, a fully-charged battery is good for 40 to 50 kilometres of driving (with reduced power output) up to highway speeds and beyond.
The standard drive drive mode sees the i8 propelled by a constantly-morphing blend of gas and electric power, just like a regular plug-in hybrid. Sport mode, further, gets the little turbocharged gas engine fired up for maximum performance, the battery and electric motor kicking in as a power boost when needed.
Drivers get 370 combined horsepower, instant access to massive electric torque output with no waiting, and a combined fuel bill somewhere in the vicinity of a Ford Fiesta.
Press the throttle and the i8 leaps ahead with no squirming or jolting through the driveline as electricity and combustion power are metered out and blended. It’s smoother than many conventional gas-powered sports cars, quicker than some, and considerably better on fuel than most.
Steering heavies up gorgeously in sport mode, helping lock the i8 with creamy precision to the line you’ve requested. Gears shift instantly, and with no lash detectable through the driveline. That’s accented by perfect rev-matching in both directions. Brakes feel is excellent by hybrid car standards, and they stop the i8 with consistent urgency when required.
Full-throttle operation is met with a mellow and meaty hum—like a small, all-motor V8. This is synthetic, and enabled by a subwoofer/speaker assembly mounted in the rear bumper (A car like the i8 has to sound pleasing, but three-cylinder engines generally don’t, and electric motors make virtually no sound, so the engineers had to get a creative).
Straight-line performance is on par with something like a Mustang GT, and the relatively narrow tires mean you might ask too much of the i8, at times, if you really get it cooking around some fast bends. Though many mistake it for some newfangled Lamborghini or McLaren, the i8’s main priority isn’t speed and grip and lap times.
Mostly, it’s easy to live with all of this electrified performance. The i8 isn’t slammed to the ground, and bottoming out is rarely a concern. The ride is similar to that of a sports sedan — firm, but not spine-bashing, largely comfortable, and absolutely road-trip ready. Just pack lightly — the cargo hold is about the size of a small gym bag.
Noise levels are kept nicely in check. Further, though entering the cabin is difficult on account of the strangely-shaped door openings and upward-opening doors, it’s sufficiently roomy for two average adults once they’re (finally) on board and seated.
The seats are beautiful and sculpted, and the entire futuristic cabin is lined with many familiar BMW design elements, all deployed and assembled with curvaceousness and attention to detail that fully support the price tag.
Finally, the roof is excellent; it works in silence, never slams or jolts, and can be deployed or removed in seconds at the touch of a button, at up to about 55 km/h. It even stores into its own hiding place, so there’s no need to adjust your cargo.
How much? My test copy of BMW’s high-exclusivity, high-performing plug-in roadster rang in at the better part of $180,000.
THE SPECS
- Model: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster
- Engine: 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged, hybrid-electric drive
- Drivetrain: all-wheel drive
- Transmission: automatic with paddle shifters
- Features: heated leather, push-button start, cabin ambient mood lighting, premium audio system, memory seats, iDrive command console, fully-powered convertible top
- What’s hot: Thrilling performance, great steering and brake feel, exceptionally low fuel use, total-electric driving is possible, causes quite a scene
- What’s not: may attract too much attention for some, very expensive, difficult to board and exit
- Price as tested (BMW i8 Roadster): $177,000
