The German company has confirmed that they will be launching three new BMW i models.
Not surprisingly, the first of these three models is a convertible version of the BMW i8, called the BMW i8 Roadster. The i8 Roadster was first shown as a concept back in 2012 at the Beijing Motor Show. They again showed a new concept at the 2016 CES (Consumer Electronic Show) held in Las Vegas in January. Powering the roadster will be the same powertrain that does duty on the coupe. It will be powered by a 1.5-litre, three cylinder petrol engine working in tandem with electric motors. The combined power output will be around 357 bhp. The car is expected to accelerate from a standstill to a 100 kmph in around 4.4 seconds and go on to a top speed of 250 kmph.
BMW i8 Spyder concept launched in 2012
The second car will be a new model of the BMW i3 electric city car. Just like the current model, it comes in a pure electric form or with a range extender. The battery capacity will be increased by 50%, which means there will be a significant increase in the range of the vehicle. The overall design of the city car will also be new.
The current BMW i3
The third BMW i car comes as a surprise. Its an all-new vehicle that will be called the BMW i NEXT. Not a lot of information of the car is available now but Harald Kruger, chairman of the board of management at BMW AG, described it as the “new spearhead of innovation and technology”. “It will enable us to take BMW i to the next level,” said Kruger. He also added that it “will cover all aspects relevant for future cars, including autonomous driving, digital connectivity and intelligent lightweight construction as well as the next generation of electro-mobility.”