Before its official public debut at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, BMW has released a series of videos showing the development of the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car.

The i8 rides on LifeDrive architecture with an aluminium chassis and a carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell.

Overall weight is less than 1,490 kilograms, including the lithium-ion battery pack.

Power comes from a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that combines a turbocharged 1.5-litre BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine with 231 hp and 320 Nm of torque and an electric motors that produces another 131 hp and 250 Nm of torque. The petrol unit moves the rear wheels and electric motor powers the front wheels. Both engines can work independently or together producing a combined power output of 362 hp and 570 Nm of torque.

0–62 mph sprint is expected to take 4.5 seconds and the top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. Range on purely electric power is up to 22 miles with a top speed of 75 mph.