A BMW with skinny wheels and tyres? You\u2019d better believe it because not only do they save weight, they also provide improved rolling resistance and aerodynamics – and they are going to be fitted to BMW\u2019s first series-produced electric car to help improve range. <\/p>\n
Called the i3, this urban runabout will be powered by a 125kW electric motor that allows it to accelerate from 0-62mph in less than eight seconds. <\/p>\n
The four-seat car will have a carbon-fibre body (making this the first medium volume production car to employ the material) and aluminium chassis, to allow the use of smaller, cheaper batteries with no loss of range. Describing the advantages of carbon-fibre, BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk said: \u201cIt can be shaped every whichway, so there are virtually no limitations for us in the form or shape of the vehicle.\u201d Total weight saving compared with a steel version of the new car will be around 300kg. <\/p>\n
When BMW unveils the i3 Concept at September\u2019s Frankfurt Motor Show, it will be joined by a high performance i8 two-plus-two plug-in hybrid coup\u00e9 that will use similar weight saving technology when the two cars go on sale in 2013. With the i3\u2019s electric motor over the front axle and a three-cylinder 217bhp internal combustion engine at the rear, the i8 will accelerate from 0-62mph in less than five seconds and offer fuel consumption in the region of 94mpg with a 20-mile electric only range. <\/p>\n
BMW boasts that the i8 is \u201cthe sports car for the next generation – pure, emotional and sustainable\u201d. But it probably won\u2019t have skinny tyres. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BMW has revealed details of its new electric car sub-brand, which will be headed up by the i3 urban runabout and the i8 coup\u00e9. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest"],"yoast_head":"\n