Be it the McLaren P1, LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder or Koenigsegg Regera, it is probably fair to say that the electric motor has in a way saved performance motoring, and even created a new benchmark in what quick acceleration off the mark really means.
The question still remains though; can you really live with a hybrid supercar in a country still not optimised for electric motoring, where road conditions are not exactly autobahn smooth and where long distances tend to be travelled from town to town even over a weekend?
It is a question that recently popped up when a hard-to-miss yellow BMW i8 was dropped off at the Autodealer office, for what would be a different kind of test during the days that followed. In short, the challenge was to see if a performance hybrid could cope with a 285km road trip over a weekend.
Although a challenge no i8 owner is ever likely to undertake, there was no time to backtrack when the keys to the futuristic hybrid GT landed in my hands for the trek the following morning from Johannesburg to the unsuspecting enclave of Bethlehem in the Eastern Free State.
Cutting a sleek figure as a modern rendition of the iconic DeLorean from the Back to the Future trilogy, the i8 made for an instant attention grabber as it silently made its though Saturday morning Johannesburg traffic, and onto the highway before being aided by the same 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine you would find in a Mini.
Once out of the concrete jungle, the sensation of driving what is likely to be the future of supercars was somewhat 21st century. Apart from the futuristic instrument cluster, the i8 felt more akin to driving a 3-series as road noise was well dented, the ride surprisingly comfortable despite the low profile Bridgestone Potenzas, and the sport seats supportive.
In addition, the swoopy dash, protruding iDrive infotainment display, pistol grip gear lever and swaths of carbon fibre lends the impression that you are driving a normal BMW, with the only hint that you are not being the slightest prod of accelerator.
Granted, while it might be a tired old cliché to use descriptions such as electric or rapid when referring to the sudden kick provided when both petrol and electric motors come on song, the result is still spectacular, even more so when the revs drop and the latter seamlessly takes over as the sole power method.
Of course, no journey is without its troubles and in this case, leaving the highway in favour of the shorter back roads resulted in more than one hair raising moment and the use of some ripe language never before uttered in any i8. With less than 100 km to go, the smooth roads soon made way for a pothole strewn hell that saw speeds drop below 60 km/h, and concerns mounting over those wheels and various other components.
To cut what was one the most fighting experiences of my life short, the i8 somehow managed to emerge from the horror that was the Free State back roads unscathed, but again highlighted an all too familiar problem that causes the loss of hundreds of lives every day and year on South African roads.
The last 40 km were fortunately pothole free and allowed the i8 to regain its GT status while still attracting a lot of attention from fellow motorists. Arriving in Bethlehem was frankly an experience on its own as the stir created by the low-slung i8 again resembled something from the first Back to the Future film with yours truly assuming the role of Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly.
Admits looks of amazement, smartphones being whipped out in quick succession and even more finger pointing, the regenerative braking system had resulted in the i8 building up enough battery range to eerily negotiate its way through the main town road as looks of surprise and gasps proceeded to accompany it.
Arriving at my destination after a harrowing few hours behind the wheel, the first part of hybrid living had not started off as well as I had hoped for, but with the small matter of a trip to the beautiful town of Clarens on the cards, plenty of time still remained to exploit the other side of the i8.
As the second day dawned with memories of the previous hellish ride still fresh in my mind, the topic of conversation soon turned to the elephant in the room; charging the i8’s depleted 7.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which combines with the petrol mill to produce a combined 266 kW / 570 Nm.
With a traditional power socket quickly secured, the i8 was soon plugged-in in what would be a four hour wait with an indicated range of only 25 km. Combined with a 40-litre fuel tank and a trip computer reading of 8.6-litres/100 km, there was denying that the i8 leans towards the supercar side more than a fuel-sipping hybrid.
Knowing that the range would likely disappear within minutes when in battery-only eDrive mode, the trip to Clarens presented the perfect opportunity to really take the i8 by the scruff of its neck and unleash its full potential.
With a series of errands run first, inevitability resulting in the battery running out of charge and again relaying solely on the petrol engine, the late Sunday afternoon drive to the aptly named "jewel of the Eastern Free State" brought the true talents of the i8 to the fore.
Clicking the gear lever into Sport mode, which sees the instrument cluster turning from blue to red, and nailing the throttle whist making use of the steering wheel mounted paddles, the i8 reacted with such immediacy that it catches you completely off guard. With hardly any turbo lag and despite a sound synthesised exhaust trying its best to mimic the noise of an M3, the acceleration is both brutal and unashamedly intoxicating as you are encouraged to push it that little bit harder.
The same applies for the six-speed automatic gearbox which shrugs off being a tad jerky in normal Comfort mode, to engage each gear on demand when going up or down. Taking the sequences of bends around and leading to Clarens also went off without a hitch, party thanks to the quick and direct steering, as well as the relentless grip provided by the i8’s innovate four-wheel drive system.
Rendezvous over and after predictably bringing the sleepy hamlet situated at the base of the Maluti Mountains to a halt, the central point of amazement being those doors, it was time to head back to OA where another burst in Sport mode all but sealed the i8’s place as supercar of the future today. Incidentally, despite the various spells in its fastest mode, fuel consumption remained at 8.6-litres/100 km.
With the return haul to the Big Smoke the next day, I decided to forego the business of charging and opt for the petrol engine only, while also choosing a different route so as to avoid the calamity of day one. In short, with Comfort mode selected, the i8 again transformed into a normal BMW and proceeded to effortlessly make the return to the Johannesburg, sans the minefield-like roads, without a single hitch.
Conclusion
While living with a hybrid can be classified as possible, the lack of charging infrastructure still makes the idea of emissions free-running a bit of novelty around town, never mind venturing into the countryside. The simple answer is that a lot of catching up still has to happen if we want to join the likes of Europe and North America in making electric cars work.
In the case of the i8, the novelty factor is further highlighted by a car wanting to excel as a supercar but with a hybrid touch. Indeed, while the efforts of BMW to even make it available on local shores needs considerable praise, it will still only appeal to a select group with the allure of the more practical, cheaper, and just as quick M3 likely to come out top.
