Usually when we peek under a mid-engined supercar’s engine cover, we might catch a glance of a big V8, V10, or V12 engine.
That’s not true for the BMW i8, which has its engine hidden away under a number of covers and trim panels.
That’s no surprise, considering it’s powered by a hybrid-electric drivetrain using a turbocharged three-cylinder with the new Mini Cooper.
It’s effective, but it’s hardly worth showing off in a car that looks like it should be packing an eye-popping petrol powertrain of some kind.
That might be why Simon Byrne, a US-based cryptocurrency trader, converted the boot area into a full-blown mining rig bearing the license plates “HODLER”.
When asked “why?”, Simon’s candid response was “just to annoy gamers”.
You see, the GPUs used in his BMW are quite difficult to get hold of due to the increased demand created by crypto-currency miners.
The mining rig consists of six Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics cards, an ASUS B250 Mining Expert board, and an EVGA SuperNOVA 1600 T2 power supply.
The best bit though, is that this setup is plugged directly into the hybrid’s main power outlet.
The i8 can output up to 3500W from this outlet, and the rig needs 1500W to run. However, there is one issue. The engine cover has to remain open to prevent overheating of the rig.
Might be time for an extra radiator up front just to cool the mining rig, hey?
If this rig is fully functional as Simon stated, the mini mining farm could generate $15,000 per year in profit. Not bad for an otherwise depreciating asset.
Who doesn’t want a car that makes money for them, even when parked?
