“BMW iFE.18 – TechLab for BMW iNEXT”: This tag-line was prominently featured on the new BMW i Motorsport race car for the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. This car completed its historic first appearance on the BMW and MINI Driving Academy site in Maisach, near Munich (GER).

It was powered by the completely new BMW drivetrain, which was created specifically for the special challenges of motor racing. It was the result of close collaboration between engineers from BMW i production development and from BMW Motorsport. BMW works driver Tom Blomqvist (GBR) was behind the wheel of the first fully-electric racing car in the history of the BMW Group. 

“The BMW iFE.18 is a milestone for our company,” explains Marquardt. “After months of excellent collaboration between the engineers from production and racing development, we can all now see the result in action. This Formula E project has seen the most remarkable technology transfer between production and motorsport in the history of BMW. Everyone involved has breathed life into the ‘TechLab for BMW i’ motto from the word go. I can hardly wait to see the car racing for the first time in the BMW i Motorsport colours when Season 5 gets going.”

 

The new BMW drivetrain is the heart of the BMW iFE.18. The future common chassis for Formula E was first presented in early March at the International Motor Show in Geneva (SUI). Some impressive comparison figures provide the most compelling evidence of the performance increases that the new system generates for Formula E, compared to the production engine in the BMW i3.

The race machine is 50 percent lighter, 66 percent more compact and produces 100 percent more performance. It even reaches revs 400 percent higher than its production counterpart.

Alongside all the Formula E teams, the new BMW iFE.18 will take to the track at the official Formula E test in Calafat (ESP) from 17th to 19th April 2018.

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