We’re here reporting live from the international revealing of the new BMW i3 and i8 concepts at the Frankfurt Messe. BMW revealed the two cars in a dark hall, and while waiting for the press conference to start, the disguised i8 prototype that we’ve seen before in the past drove past us on the main stage, in complete eerie silence that made me do a double take and wonder if I had really seen a car go past, or was it some funky 3D projection.
The BMW i family consists of only two cars at the moment – the i3 and the i8. The i3 is immediately recognisable as one of those city cars that seem to be such a popular idea these days – light, compact, fuel efficient, easy to park, seats four and has some kind of luggage area – 250 litres in this case. The i3 promises to travel up to 250 km on a single charge. We’ll get more in depth with the technicalities of the car in a future story.
At the top of the range is the BMW i8 Concept, a 2+2 sports car that has evolved through the times since it was first unveiled in 2009 as the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. Like the 2009 concept, the car continues to be powered by both an electric motor and a combustion engine, now a 220 hp, 300 Nm 3-cylinder petrol instead of a turbodiesel.
BMW refers to these cars as part of the BMW i family, which is quite small at the moment – just two members. But like BMW’s regular series production cars which range from a 1 all the way up to a 7, not to mention all the X models, the company says there’s definitely room for new members to be introduced in the future.
The first production i cars will go on sale at the end of 2013. BMW won’t reveal any sales targets at the moment – they say that it will depend on how the market will be at the time of launch. But they must have some kind of internal target, as it says the cars will be profitable and will contribute to the company’s finances from the very beginning, and the R&D costs it took to develop these cars must be amortised.
Initially, these cars will be more appropriate for high density urban areas, thus BMW will be targeting these markets. Major cities will definitely be in the picture. A lot of these potential markets will be driven by regulations – for example London city’s congestion charges will make EVs like the BMW i3 make commercial sense.
Will these cars ever be available in Malaysia? According to a BMW Malaysia spokesperson, an introduction is definitely possible if there is a strong business case for it. But it is still too early to say at the moment, because of various factors such as the infrastructure to support EVs, consumer education and government policies.
Will Malaysia be ready for something like this by end 2013?
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Ehhh… Malaysia electric too expensive, dunno why but the kidney grille really draw more piggish than kidney … A lil overdone imo…
Malaysia electric too expensive?? only a jerk will say something like this.
try go to australia if you want to what expensive electricity mean, and australia is a lot cheaper tha uk..
Probably i am a jerk, but it takes one to know one…
electricity can’t afford bmw also can’t afford, stfu or gtfo lah
Yeah true to the point… Im shutting tfu and getting tfo…. I made myself look the fool…sorry everyone
Funny it was just a thought that went through my mind that im paying awfully alot for my monthly electric bill, so it came to me that our electric is getting expensive.. So i made that comment… Not here to look smart.. Just made myself look stupid…haha
intel core i3 n i8 ye??the i3 look more less like EMAS la..huhu..
time for copycat emas proton
you will shocked if you see how China charging electricity…. Malaysia is one of the cheapest. Your comment likely based on…we having surplus of power plant or capacity…yet we get informed price hike all the time to compensate non power generation losses.
of course they are overdone they’re concepts moron
I’m interested in the end line of bmw m’sia representative, regarding the cars availability here
‘..possible with strong economy demand..’ or something rather
how hard can it be?i mean for the cars to sold here.and before anyone go mad bash me, of course i know about economic justification. And that means ckd is out of any thought. Unless heavy tax waive or they made it so cheap that tax would made no difference at all.
But CBU? Is that impossible as well?
All u need, after sending some crews for training at Bavaria, is a direct line to HQ. And then one bangladeshi to key in the orders for bmw msia.
Time this: ‘hello, one i8. Beerfest beige. Maresia’. Barely 3 minutes. Problem solve.
nothing more to say other than STYLE…..
The first car looks like Proton Emas?
I was thinking the same thing.The shape doesn’t compliment the kidney grille la.
With something as advance as this 2, it would take at least 2020 before it is viable here. We dont even have the latest generation petrol and diesel but we are already paying world market rates for certain.
OMG, you guys are over at Frankfurt right now? Jealous indeed! :)
Fun fact: They’re targetting performance of under 5 secs to 100km/h and combined european consumption cycle of 3 litres/100km for the i8.
If those are the numbers of the future, then I say BRING IT ON! :D
looks like bmw are bringing back the days like when they had the isetta… which was a compact vehicle…
hahahah… childish… dude… u heard of the saying…
“better to remain silent and let people think you are an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”?
you did that twice today…
Thanks for the heads up, did it twice today and not proud of it…will remind myself that
BMW to start market these electric cars by 2013 onward. And now Proton still scratch their head to come out with petrol global car? Pathetic!
Proton was founded in 1983, making it 28 years old now. BMW was 28 years old in 1944. And around 1944, they were most famous because their jet fighter engine used for the Messerschmitt Me 262 failed on takeoff. And in 1959, 43 years into operation, they were doing so bad financially that they nearly ended the business.
You wanna compare Proton and BMW, at least have the common sense to align the timelines right. Proton may not be the automotive giant that BMW is today, but we’re certainly on the right track. Now look who’s pathetic.
Funny, are you telling us that we should give proton another 40 years of protection?
Paying high price for entry level car like VW Polo?
who’s talking about protection? he/she was just giving the facts about company performance. Proton and BMW are not taking the same path, BMW went for luxury models while Proton was setup for ordinary market.
I hope the government can give the same tax incentives for hybrids to electric cars too, from next year onwards and hopefully permanently.
The battle of electric cars is starting to get hot already :]. For some of us it will be a perfect city car while being much greener. If they’re ever coming here we would have a good variety of choices. Apart from this, there will be Chevy Volt, Tesla Roadster, Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric, Honda Jazz EV and possibly many more :)………!!!!!!!!!!! Some are already running in the USA and Japan………….
yeah, enjoy the electric cars now, while you can… now so many petrol cars, gov can’t afford to subsidies petrol anymore. later when too many electric cars, gov maybe can’t afford to subsidies electricity too :)
Are you thinking all electric cars are hatchbacks? Tesla Roadster is NOT a hatch!
The Volt is not too it’s a Sedan :].
The range of electric cars is also increasing, making it more viable and attractive. In the future at least for city driving we can say good bye to petroleum powered cars with greenhouse emissions.
250km of all electric range is quite amazing with today’s technology at the moment. Getting ever so close to normal petroleum cars.
For city driving of petroleum cars, some Proton cars can’t even pitifully make it pass 300km. As for more efficient cars (Hondas, Toyotas etc.), it’s 400-500km depending on driving style/behavior, road conditions and class/segment.
that’s seriously just your stupid assumptions.
i drive waja and i knows it will last more than 400km for city driving and more than 600km for highway.
Those who claim Camtakpro engine can hit 400km on a full tank is making a big ‘sin’ in the holy month of Ramadhan. Please stop your craping. The only way a 1.6cc Camtakpro can hit 400km on a full tank is when you drive not more 50km/hr on a straight line with no traffic jam.
Regards,
Ex-owner of IAFMCamtakpro and CacingPS.
why ECO cars have to look so ugly..? haven’t BMW learned anything from FISKER KARMA or TESLA Model S ….or at least the 3rd Gen Prius , and 2nd gen Insight…
They learned from FISKER KARMA or TESLA Model S: The market share of this models is currently less than 0%…
And the ugly Prius with the handling characteristics of an electric forklift should be a role model for BMW (‘freude am fahren’)? :D
Paul,
Is your website block my streamyx? I cannot enter your http://paultan.org/topics/cars/ using normal way. Only lease line can enter…
Just for Info only…