BMW Chief Executive Officer Harald Krueger confirmed that the BMW i8 Roadster is already slated to hit production in 2018.

When BMW unveiled the i8 Spyder Concept at the Beijing Motor Show more than five years ago, the car was initially received with positive reviews and high hopes that it could push BMW's status further that its rivals. Since then, car enthusiasts have been patiently waiting for the official production version of the car.

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The upcoming BMW i8 Roadster is based on the i8 Spyder Concept car.

Not much is known about the i8 Roadster, although there are hinting that the car is based on the refreshed version of the Spyder Concept platform. This could mean that the i8 Roadster will pack greater power with the unique combination of its electric motor and gasoline engine.

Some motoring publications predict that the i8 Roadster will have around 400 horsepower, a significant jump from the current 354 horsepower packed inside the Spyder Concept's engine. The new lithium ion battery pack also contributes to a higher capacity for the car's electric motor.

According to Auto Blog, BMW CEO Krueger shared that the latest version of the BMW i3 has been inundated by "very positive" orders. The new BMW i3 comes with a bigger battery pack which is now capable of powering the car for up to 114 miles on full charge. That is a significant improvement compared to the 81 miles mark of the 2016 model-year version. It is still unknown whether the upcoming i8 will also receive the same boost in mileage and power given its bigger and higher capacity battery pack.

TagsBMW, bmw roadster, i8, bmw i8 roadster, bmw i8 spyder concept