The hybrid cars that may get a boost from Hong Kong’s Formula E races

The Hong Kong Formula E races on October 8 and 9 could encourage more motorists to drive hybrid cars. There are plenty to choose from in the city’s car showrooms, and they largely run on a combination of petrol and electric engines.

However, hybrids are usually more expensive than petrol-only versions, so first-time buyers might be looking to buy a small car in which to learn new eco-driving skills, such as coasting, regenerative braking and when to recharge on petrol power. Hybrids are fun to drive, once you get used to these techniques and driving quietly on battery power. (They nag a bit on eco-driving.)

BMW is supplying two hybrids to organisers of the Formula E. The almost five-metre BMW i8 (HK$2.72 million) is the Central event’s safety car, and the first plug-in hybrid sports car to combine a 1.5-litre TwinPower Turbo three-cylinder petrol engine at the back with a 131-horsepower electric motor in the front. The engines combine to produce 362hp and four-wheel drive, with the lithium battery stowed low mid-chassis.

BMW has also given the i8 a light carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic passenger cell, and the home-chargeable, eight-year-warranty battery offers torque of 250 Newton metres, a range of up to 37km and a top speed of 120km/h. Using both engines, the i8 can reach 100km/h in 4.4 seconds, yet consume 2.1 litres of petrol per 100km and 11.9 kWh of electricity, BMW says, with CO2 emissions of 49 g/km.

Look out too for the 245hp BMW X5 xDrive40e (HK$899,900), the Hong Kong Formula E rescue car and the marque’s first hybrid sports activity vehicle, with a two-litre BMW TwinPower Turboengine, an electric motor and an eight-speed Steptronic transmission. It hits 100km/h in 6.8 seconds and tops at 210km/h. BMW Concessionaires (HK) also stocks the 225xe Active Tourer (HK$529,900) and the 184hp BMW 330e (HK$599,900), which reaches 100km/h 6.1 seconds, tops at 225km/h and consumes 2.1 l/100km of petrol.