BMW i8 plug-in hybrid supercar is more economical than BMW thought

The BMW i8 does 134.5mpg on the official cycle.

The production version of BMW’s plug-in hybrid supercar – the i8 – finally arrived at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year offering almost proper supercar price – £100k – along with an almost supercar 0-62mph of 4.4 seconds. What the i8 also offers is ridiculous economy figures thanks to its plug-in hybrid power (and thanks to the daft way official economy figures are calculated) and now, as the i8 gets ready to go in to full production, BMW has revealed that the official economy figures have just got dafter.

BMW reckoned the i8 would average 113mpg and have emissions of just 59g/km, but a quick twiddle of their abacus revealed that the combination of the 228bhp 1.5 litre 3-cylinder engine and another 128bhp from its electric motor will actually manage 134.5mpg and emissions of just 48g/km.

It’s all completely mad, and no one is going to get close to such a silly figure in the real world, at least not unless the vast bulk of their motoring is on the EV only cycle of 23 miles with a very light right foot.

Still, silly economy figures or not, BMW has still managed to sell out the first year’s production of the i8 ahead of the first customer car being delivered, and it looks like you’ll have to pay a premium on top of the £99,845 list price if you want an i8 in the next couple of years.

Either that, or do yourself a favour and buy an early McLaren 12C – used ones are now getting very close to £100k in the trade.

By Cars UK