How Many Cylinders Does the BMW i8 Have?
2 Answers
BMW i8 uses a three-cylinder engine, featuring a combination of a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine and an electric motor. The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid system. More details about the BMW i8 are as follows: Exterior of the BMW i8: The new BMW i8 has removed the structural front windshield glass from the original concept car but retains the flying buttress-style rear design. Additionally, the position of the rear wheel arches on the car body is very close to the doors, and the fuel tank cap is placed on the wheel arches. In terms of door design, the production model abandons the concept car's panoramic gull-wing glass doors, opting instead for regular gull-wing doors that are slightly smaller in size compared to the concept car's glass doors. Performance of the BMW i8: The engine has a maximum horsepower of 231, a maximum power of 170 kW, and a maximum torque of 320 Nm, while the electric motor has a maximum horsepower of 143. The BMW i8 is equipped with all-wheel drive across the entire range, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, achieving a top speed of 250 km/h. The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid system.
I have had in-depth experience with the BMW i8. It is equipped with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine—just three cylinders in total—paired with an electric motor to form a hybrid powertrain. This design prioritizes not only performance but also lightweight construction and high efficiency, delivering a maximum output of 361 horsepower and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds. The compact engine layout minimizes engine bay space usage, improving overall vehicle balance. The electric motor handles low-speed starts, while the three-cylinder engine takes over at mid-to-high speeds, working seamlessly with the six-speed automatic transmission for smooth gear shifts. I once studied BMW engineers' approach: using a three-cylinder setup to reduce friction losses and fuel consumption while integrating electric technology to realize the concept of an eco-friendly sports car. In practice, it drives smoothly and quietly, with emissions as low as 45 grams per kilometer. Although production ended in 2020, the i8, as a pioneer, demonstrated a viable direction for high-performance hybrids, attracting many tech enthusiasts.
