Every year, the Frankfurt Motor Show is a huge event that we're always very excited about. This year was no exception and BWM put on quite the show. Your friends here at one of the leading Daytona Beach car dealerships are here with all the details!
Among the Port Orange BMW vehicles at the Frankfurt show were two electric vehicles that are part of new i series:
- The i3 - a compact
- The i8 - a sports car
Today we'd like to share a little more with you about each of these models.
The i3
The i3 is our new fully-electric compact vehicle and it is intended for the urban commuter. It's expected in 2013.
The i3 is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in about eight seconds. Perhaps most exciting is that the battery achieves an 80 percent charge in just one hour! This is great for the driver on the go with places to be!
The i8
The i8 is our gasoline-electric parallel hybrid sports car and it will be available in 2014. Its developer, Klaus Draeger, described it as "the sports car for a new generation-pure, emotional, and sustainable."
This sports car can go from 0 to 60 mph in just five seconds! What's more is that it can hit a top speed of about 135 mph, and surely would be capable of going faster, but an electronic governing system prevents it from doing so.
Another particularly exciting feature of both of these models is the frames, which are made of carbon-fiber and have an aluminum underbody. These materials make the cars considerably lighter, which is essential in an EV, since the electric drive system (made up of the battery, motors, and electronics) is considerably heavier than the drivetrain of a typical gasoline-fueled car. But by using the carbon-fiber frame, the BMW team trimmed over 550 pounds, more than compensating for the increased battery weight. Draeger called this a "revolution in automotive design." He goes on to explain that it's "the first volume-produced car featuring bodywork largely made of carbon." Very exciting!
For more information on these upcoming electric models, be sure to stop in and see us here at Fields BMW of Daytona! Our friendly sales staff can't wait to see you!