BMW i8 is the 2015 World Green Car of the Year

BMW’s futuristic looking i8 has clinched the title for the World Green Car of the Year at the 2015 World Car Awards held recently at the New York Auto Show. The low-slung, two-seater sports car is the second BMW in a row to be given the title, with the first being the i3.

“I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of the team in Munich,” said Dr. Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing BMW. “The BMW i8 represents the future with its unique lightweight construction and unrivalled connectivity. To win this award for the second year in a row shows that our BMW i products are truly leading the world," he added.    

The i8 is BMW’s first ever plug-in hybrid vehicle. According to the brand it combines the performance of a sports car with the fuel consumption and emission figures of a subcompact vehicle. Under electric power alone, the i8 can be driven up to 37 kilometres and once out of juice, the turbocharged 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine comes into play. The hybrid powertrain develops 362bhp of power and allows the i8 to accelerate from zero to 100kmph in 4.4 seconds.

First shown as a concept car in 2009 and then in full production form in early 2013 with sales beginning for the European market later that year, the i8 finally arrived in the Indian market in February this year. Priced at Rs 2.29 crore, the hybrid sports car has been positioned in a class of its own although its nearest rivals come in the form of the Audi R8 and select versions of the Porsche 911.