Powered Up and Ready to Go: Inside BMW’s First Hybrid Electric Car

June 29, 2015 BMW, Gadgets, i8, Mobile, New York Auto Show, Tech

With its strong curves and Lotus-style doors, BMW’s first hybrid, plug-in electric vehicle, the i8, makes a striking first impression. Unveiled at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, the two-seater features both an array of technology and eco-friendly accouterments that could make quite an impression when the car arrives later this year.

Combining a three-cylinder gas engine with an electric engine for a combined 362 horsepower, the car can reportedly travel 22 miles on electric power alone and 310 miles on the hybrid engine technology. The interior features LED lights, a passenger cell constructed of carbon fiber and, according to BMW, uses recycled material throughout the vehicle.

It’s also packed with technology, including BMW’s iDrive system, rain sensors and a fully digital instrument display.

We took a good look through Google Glass during a tour from BMW’s product manager for BMW i, Jose Guerrero. He said the i8’s dramatic curve designs are based on actual water droplets to help improve the car’s aerodynamics. The car arrives at BMW dealers this summer for a jaw-dropping list price of $135,700.

New York International Auto Show 2014

General View of the New York Auto Show

Image: Mashable Christina Ascani
CarPlay

Volvo and Apple offered the first public demonstration of CarPlay in the U.S. since its March debut at the Geneva International Motor Show.

Image: Mashable, Adario Strange
3D Printed Liquid Metal Car

Assembled on to the body of a Ford Torino is a 3D printed liquid metal car shell created by Ioan Florea.

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Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover and Virgin Galactic announced a partnership that included a concept for Land Rover’s Discovery SUV.

Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker
“See-Through” Hood

Land Rover revealed a “see-through” hood that allows drivers to see beneath their cars while driving.

Video: YouTube, Land Rover
Toyota FT-1

Toyota gave car fans an up-close look at its video game-inspired FT-1 concept car.

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Ford Mustang

Ford’s executive chairman, Bill Ford, stands with the all-new 2015 Mustang convertible as it’s introduced on the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building.

Image: John Minchillo/Associated Press
Toyota PM Concept Car

The PM is a personal mobility Toyota concept vehicle that “fits like a glove” to create a feeling of unity between the driver and the vehicle.

Image: Mashable Christina Ascani
Mary Barra

GM CEO Mary Barra took the stage on April 15 to help announce two new Chevy cars — one of which was the Trax, which is already available in Canada.

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MyLink

The Chevy Trax will come equipped with Siri compatibility and a hands-free system called “MyLink.”

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Cross Section of a Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai had a cross section of it’s Genesis coupe on display at the New York International Auto Show.

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Porsche 918 Spyder

One of the fastest street-legal cars out there but at $845,000, it’s obviously not a consumer-oriented vehicle.

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Chevrolet Camaro SS

Camaro SS Convertibles accompany a Corvette ZR1 as the official pace car of the Indianapolis 500.

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Jeep Outside Demonstrations

Jeep has a whole obstacle course set up outside the Javitts Center for individuals who want to give a car a test drive through the most extreme conditions.

Image: Mashable Christina Ascani
BMW i8 Hybrid

BMW’s first hybrid, plug-in electric vehicle, the i8, was unveiled at the New York International Auto Show.

Image: Mashable Christina Ascani
$2,950- Smart Electric Bike

For those with a little less cash in their pocket, you can take home an electric bicycle that actually looks like a bike.

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Corvette C7 Stingray

You might recognize this Corvette C7 Stingray from the recent trailer for Transformers: Age of Extinction.

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Soleil Anadi

This Italian produced sports car yields 651 horsepower and goes from 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds.

Image: Mashable Christina Ascani
Chevrolet Charger

The ever-popular Bumblebee made an appearance, too.

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NYIAS

The New York International Auto Show runs from April 18 to April 27 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York, NY.

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Corvette Z06 convertible

Chevy also unveiled the Corvette Z06 convertible, a roofless version of the well-known supercar.

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SRT Viper GTS

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Image: Mashable Christina Ascani
Nissan Murano

Nissan updated its Murano SUV with a more “futuristic” aesthetic, particularly on the rear and with NASA-inspired seats.

Image: Mashable, Adario Strange