Pieces of the 2015 BMW i8's Drivetrain Revealed

This is an i8 prototype.

After launching the i3 urban electric car, BMW has now put out details about its i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. The i8 is all-wheel-drive, but not in the way that you might think.

The gasoline engine of the i8 is a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder churning out 231 horsepower and 236 pounds-feet of torque. With four valves per cylinder, an aluminum construction and the Valvetronic variable valve timing and lift function, the engine is essentially BMW's famed inline-six engine chopped in half. This is the basic engine that will be used in the next Mini Cooper.

Being a 3-cylinder, a balance shaft has been added on to counteract vibrations and there's a multi-stage damper within the six-speed automatic transmission. The engine is placed in the middle of the vehicle, and it powers the rear wheels.

The front wheels are turned by 131-horsepower, 184-pounds-feet-of-torque electric motor. A two-stage automatic transmission is integrated within the motor. Being completely separate from the engine, the electric motor can run simultaneously with the engine to allow a maximum of 362 horsepower and 420 pounds-feet of torque. BMW claims a zero-to-60 acceleration of less than 4.5 seconds and a 155-miles-per-hour top speed. The curb weight of the i8 is 3285 pounds, and the drag coefficient is a decent 0.26.

When the car is just running on electricity, top speed is limited to 75 miles per hour, range is 22 miles, and the car is estimated to achieve 95 miles per gallon on the European fuel economy test.

There are three driving modes: Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport. With both a full gas tank and a full battery charge, you are able to travel 310 miles in Comfort mode. Eco Pro extends that range 20 percent. In sport mode, the six-speed automatic can be shifted manually, the suspensions stiffens, and energy regeneration is turned up a notch.

The production i8 will debut in September at the Frankfurt Auto Show. It will go on sale in the U.S. shortly after its i3 sibling does in the spring of 2014.

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