Formula E driver Nelson Piquet Jr. took Qualcomm inventors Edward Van Boheemen and Pat Kusbel out for a few hot laps, and apparently uncomfortable interviews, at the Donington Park racing circuit.
Piquet doesn’t hold back in the Qualcomm Safety Car, which was outfitted with the company’s wireless-charging technology. The session includes plenty of oversteer, powerslides and screaming rubber.
The i8 is positioned as BMW’s flagship tech platform, pairing a 231-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with a 131-pony electric motor, propelling the car up to 62 mph from a standstill in just 4.4 seconds. Unlike some other performance-focused pure-electric sports cars, the i8 has a relatively quick top speed of 155 mph.
Qualcomm’s Halo wireless-charging technology is not available for the current production i-Series lineup, but it is expected to make its way to the market as early as 2017.
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