2020 BMW i8 Coupe Performance

The i8 achieves its total power output of 369 horsepower and 420 lb-ft in a very different fashion to the typical sports car. Contributing 141 hp and 184 lb-ft is the electric motor, with the turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine managing 228 hp and 236 lb-ft on its own. An 11.6 kWh battery pack is fitted. Power is sent to all four wheels (the combustion engine powers the rear wheels and the electric motor exclusively sends power to the front) and, when you're not intent on saving the plant, the plug-in hybrid i8 will do 0 to 60 mph in a quick 4.2 seconds before reaching a top speed limited to 155 mph. That's impressively quick and more than enough to shove you back in your seat, but a base Porsche 911 Carrera - at over $50,000 cheaper - will do the same sprint in four seconds dead, demonstrating the inferior power/price ratio of BMW's hybrid sports car relative to a traditional gas-fed vehicle. Operating in EV mode, the i8 will reach 60 in approximately nine seconds.

The i8's innovative powertrain isn't as cutting-edge as it was at launch, but a plug-in hybrid sports car is still a relative rarity. The 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine (positioned behind the driver) and an electric motor (mounted up front) team up to deliver 369 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. While the gas engine is paired with a six-speed automatic, the electric motor gets a two-speed auto.

Despite so much going on, the driver is largely unaware of all of it, as the i8 surges ahead smoothly. With the electric motor's swell of torque, the BMW always feels eager and accelerating past slower-moving traffic is not only easily done, but quite addictive, too. One would think that two transmissions would result in a clunky experience, but it's far from the case as smooth and quick gearshifts are the order of the day. If you like your driving experience to feel like a video game, you might appreciate the augmentation of engine noise within the i8's cabin. If you don't, it's a rather odd experience knowing what's beneath that sleek sheet metal and hearing much more ambitious engine noises accompanying throttle inputs. It's one of the few criticisms of the i8's otherwise remarkable powertrain.

Being a plug-in hybrid, the i8 rewards with far more efficient running costs than competitors with only combustion engines. In full-electric mode, the i8 will cover 17 miles according to the EPA, which to be honest, isn't much. Many owners will likely be driving with the gas engine in operation too - when doing so, the i8 has a combined MPGe rating of 69. Using the gas engine only will return a city/highway figure of 27 mpg. With a gas tank size of 11.1 gallons, the i8 will realize a range of around 300 miles, with the electric motor extending that by a further 17 miles. Although these numbers fall well short of other PHEVs, they're more respectable when taking into account the i8's performance and the sports car segment it competes in. Plugging in the charger for the 11.6 kWh battery pack, expect it to take just over three hours to reach full capacity at a standard charging station, which is one advantage of the battery's small size.