BMW i8 global deliveries begin in June 2014

Now that the production of the BMW i8 soon commences at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig, the launch too is very imminent. In European markets, customers will start getting their cars in June 2014 onward.

Customers have already been able to place pre-orders for the BMW i8 in all major markets since autumn 2013. Not surprisingly, the demand for the BMW i8 is already exceeding the planned production volume during ramp-up.

As a result of its novel powertrain concept BMW eDrive in plug-in hybrid configuration, the i8 combines a 0–100 km/h sprint time of 4.4 seconds.

In typical everyday commuting, with the battery fully charged at the beginning, the BMW i8 can return a fuel consumption below 5 litres/100 km around town. Overall, the fuel consumption of the plug-in hybrid model therefore works out around 50 per cent better than that of conventionally powered sports car models.

The company will also offer BMW laser headlights by the autumn of 2014, when the BMW i8 will become the world’s first production car to offer this innovative lighting technology. BMW laser headlights are around 30 per cent more energy-efficient than the BMW i8’s standard LED headlights and provide much more powerful road illumination, with a range of up to 600 metres.