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Road To Ignition – electric and hybrids

A look at some of the electric and hybrid vehicles featuring at the Ignition Festival of Motoring.

The BMW i8 will be making an appearance at the Ignition Festival of Motoring

The BMW i8 will be making an appearance at the Ignition Festival of Motoring

In the first article of our Road to Ignition series, we looked at the loud and eye-catching supercars that will feature at this years festival, such as the brand new Aston Martin DB11 and the McLaren 675LT.

Here, we look to the future with some of the best electric and hybrid vehicles you’ll find on display this year.

BMW i8

 

The BMW i8 is the sports car from the future, with dihedral doors and futuristic interior lights, it is both special to sit in, and to drive. The i8 features various driving modes, the first of which is eDrive. Running in eDrive turns the car completely electric, giving a range of 22 miles and a top speed of 75mph. Comfort mode finds the best of both worlds, combining electric power with the 1.5-litre engine to give the smoothest ride possible. Switch the i8 to sport mode, and the full potential of the i8 is unleashed. Powered solely from the petrol engine, the car will reach 62mph in just 4.4 seconds.

Lexus RX 450H

Lexus has made vast improvements over the previous model with this new RX 450H, which has added smart technology, a more efficient engine, and most importantly, a sportier set up and drive. It features a 3.5-litre V6 engine paired with two electric motors, giving the Lexus just over 300bhp. That is enough to power the Lexus to 62mph in just over 7.5 seconds, not too bad for a heavy hybrid. Despite a limited range, the Lexus is capable of driving in full electric mode, which makes it extremely economical in and around town.

BMW i3

The i3, along with the previously mentioned i8, are the first 2 cars to come from the innovative BMW i division, and they haven’t disappointed. The design and style of the futuristic i3 allows it to instantly stand out on the street. However, this car isn’t just about the looks. The i3 uses its rear wheel drive and 168bhp electric motor well, allowing it to reach 62mph in just 7.2 seconds. If you choose the optional range extender you can expect figures to double, with a range of around 200 miles.

Tesla Model S P90D

The Tesla Model S is a car straight out of the movies, and with the top spec P90D available, it ticks all of the boxes. The P90D comes with a range of options with the most important being Ludicrous mode. If spec’d with this £8,700 option, the Model S features a separate lithium ion battery pack along with a list of other complicated upgrades, essentially making it even faster. The P90D reaches 0–62mph in a barely believable 2.8 seconds, making it one of the fastest saloons ever. Sounds good to us!

Want to see more?

To see cars like these, and many more, make sure you check out the Ignition website, for all tickets and information on the event.

About the Author

Blair Munton

Staff writer at Arnold Clark

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