BMW’s iconic M3 is going electric – and I hope battery packs and e-motors don’t destroy what makes it special
- The upcoming BMW M3 will use four electric motors
- Its clever torque vectoring aims to deliver driving dynamics
- A petrol engine version will still be offered
BMW has revealed teaser images and video footage of its forthcoming M3 replacement during testing, which will feature a quad-electric motor set-up in the first time in its long and illustrious career. Choosing to tell the development story through a Netflix-esque mini-series on YouTube[1], the German automaker has revealed elements of what we can expect from the upcoming "M HP BEV" (high-powered battery electric vehicle), which will be based on an all-new Neue Klasse 3 Series[2] platform.
BMW M Electrified - Episode 1. The Next Level of Driving Dynamics. - YouTube
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Although there is no word on battery capacity and the sort of performance we can expect when it arrives in 2028, BMW M boss Frank van Meel says the project was about "embracing new technology", and finding out "how to push the limits of what is technically possible". That means a centralized 'brain' that aims to bring the numerous control modules under the stewardship of one, very powerful computer unit. There will also be cutting-edge and highly precise torque vectoring at each wheel, which BMW hopes will deliver some of that 'Ultimate Driving Experience' that the company is famed for.
M3 fans are understandably worried about the electrified future of such a beloved and revered sports car, with many worried that the added weight of batteries will blunt performance - something van Meel says is inescapable. During an interview with Autocar[4], the BMW CEO admitted that early performance EVs would have to be equipped with larger, heavier batteries in order to "avoid range anxiety in environments where charging infrastructure is still not widely spread."
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But he goes on to suggest that in the coming years, the charging infrastructure is going to improve at such a rapid rate that his company might not have to cram in such a huge quantity of battery packs, as charging will become faster and more convenient.
Analysis: BMW is hedging its bets
According to BMW's CEO, the electrified M3 is being developed alongside an internal combustion engine counterpart. The company has heavily revised the current generation 3.0-liter straight-six petrol engine to meet Europe's stringent emissions regulations.
That means a petrol M-car will be available for as long as customer demand exists and, according to some of the YouTube comments under BMW's recent video, could be a lot longer than the German automaker envisages. BMW will have a tough job convincing the M-Performance faithful that an electric vehicle can deliver the raw, visceral thrill of some of its best V8 and V6-powered petrol cars, most of which have gone on to garner legendary status in the car community. Former BMW M engineer Albert Biermann, the man behind some of the best M-Performance cars, proved electric could be exciting when he joined Hyundai and helped the team develop the Ioniq 5 N.
But that car required so much computing power and technical trickery to not only disguise its weight but also usher in the sort of driving cues that many expect of a combustion engine sports car, such as synthesized gear changes and fake exhaust notes.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N remains a special car, but it leaves many speculating that you could enjoy much the same thrills at half the price with a used petrol-powered counterpart that doesn't require the heavy and expensive extras to raise a smile.
Whichever way you look at it, BMW will have a tough time convincing anyone that has ever owned a combustion-engined M3 that this electric version is going to be good enough to tempt them to make the switch.