Ford Motor Company has won the International Engine of the Year award for the last three years from Engine Technology International with its 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine, but this year, BMW was declared the winner with its 1.5 liter gasoline-hybrid powertrain used in the futuristic BMW i8.
The TwinPower turbo 1.5 liter three-cylinder engine produces 231 horsepower; and when paired with the 129 horsepower electric motor that drives the front wheels, total power output is claimed at 357 horsepower and 570 Nm of torque. As the electric motor drives the car for up to 30 km of gasoline-free enjoyment, the 76 MPGe rating of the i8’s powerplant provides excellent fuel economy to go along with the claimed 0-100 km/h time of 4.2 seconds.
Once the battery power is used up, the gasoline engine comes online to help the i8 operate in hybrid mode, and recharges the battery at the same time. Charging can also be carried out by plugging into a 24 V source. Recharging time is around 90 minutes. The future is electric, even if it is not right now!
