Jury sends BMW i8 powertrain to head of class in engine awards

A BMW engine has captured the 2015 International Engine of the Year award. This is a 1.5-liter three-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid in the BMW i8—the system is a combo of electric motor with 1.5-liter petrol engine.

Staff at Canadianmanufacturing.com summed up key features of the award-winner.

"The three-cylinder combustion engine in the BMW i8 develops 170 kW/231 hp and drives the rear wheels, while the 96 kW/131 hp electric motor draws its energy from a lithium-ion battery, which can be charged from a conventional domestic power socket, and sends its power to the front axle."

The system, said the report, enabled a range of up to 37 kilometers in the EU test cycle and top speed of 120 kilometers per hour on electric power alone.

"The sprint from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour takes just 4.4 seconds, yet combined fuel consumption – as calculated in the EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles – stands at 2.1 liters per 100 kilometers, or approximately 135 miles per gallon – plus 11.9 kWh of electricity. This equates to CO2 emissions of 49 grams per kilometer."

Nishant Parekh of Autocar India pointed out this ends the consecutive three-year winning streak of Ford's EcoBoost engine. but, he said, it was close.

The BMW had just seven points more than the Ford EcoBoost.

Participants in the jury of the International Engine of the Year Awards in Stuttgart were a panel of 65 motoring journalists from 31 countries.

Jonathan M. Gitlin, automotive editor, Ars Technica, observed that the "competition, which has been running for 17 years now, can feel a bit like 3rd grade graduation with prizes for everyone. There are eight categories based on engine displacement (from sub-1L to above 4L), plus awards for the best new engine, best green engine, best performance engine, and best overall."

Nonetheless, he pointed out that in competition with others, "The overall winner can be found in BMW's very clever i8. The i8's 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder, 357 hp (362PS) hybrid powertrain beat Ferrari, Tesla, McLaren, and others to the top award." He said, "we're not surprised it won."

The prize-winners were presented with awards on June 17, "against the backdrop of the Engine Expo trade fair in Stuttgart," said Canadianmanufacturing.com.

Mike Costello, CarAdvice, referred to the i8 as the "Batman-esque coupe" and described judges' reasons for choosing the BMW engine. He said they praised the i8's "amazing green credentials." He noted its 2.1L//100km and 49g/km CO2 figures as well as "supercar-like performance."

Earlier this year, the BMW i8 won the title of 2015 World Green Car during the New York International Auto Show, reported HybridCars.com. Criteria included tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology aimed at increasing the car's environmental responsibility.

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