Electric BMW M3 (And Other BMW M EVs) Will Have Four Electric Motors, Simulated Gear Shifts And Natural Fibers

BMW hasn't been shy about the electric M performance cars it's working on, having first talked about them way back in 2020. In 2022 the Bavarian automaker showed off an i4-based prototype with a quad-motor setup, and then last year it revealed the Vision Driving Experience concept that previewed upcoming performance technology like the Heart of Joy computing system. A few months later we saw camouflaged prototypes of the electric M3 ripping around the Nürburgring, and since then have been waiting with bated breath for more official information.

Now we're getting it. This week BMW released a bunch of photos of the electric M3 testing in the snow, confirming some details and specs about the model and also divulging some tidbits we didn't know about yet. Not only will the M3 EV have a quad-motor setup, every electric BMW M car will have four of 'em, and they'll all have simulated gear shifts, too. BMW says its first electric Ms will be out in 2027, with BMW M managing director Franciscus van Meel saying "we are taking the BMW M driving experience to a new level and will inspire our customers with outstanding, racetrack-ready driving dynamics for everyday use."

The basis of the electric M3 will be the 800-volt Neue Klasse platform that debuted with the iX3 back in the fall. BMW says the 100-plus-kWh battery pack has performance-optimized cells and upgraded cooling and control systems for better charging performance and greater power delivery, as well as stronger regenerative braking capability. Like other Neue Klasse models the M3 will have four Superbrain computers, one of which is the Heart of Joy for driving dynamics (the others control automated driving, convenience features, and infotainment).

BMW

There will be an electric drive unit at each axle, each with a separate electric motor for each wheel, and every motor has its own gearbox like in the Mercedes-Benz G580. The drive units integrate the oil supply, inverters, and motor controller, and the motors are more powerful and power-dense than any BMW motor before them. (The company doesn't say how powerful the car will be, but I'm guessing at least 1,000 horsepower.) BMW says you'll be able to decouple the front drive unit to make the car rear-wheel drive, presumably for donuts and drifting, though it'll also do that automatically for better efficiency in freeway driving. 

Compared to a two- or three-motor setup, individual control of each wheel will be a boon for traction, precision, power delivery, torque distribution, and all the other aspects of performance driving. For the first time, BMW is saying its M EVs will have simulated gear shifts, though we don't have any details beyond that announcement. They'll also have M-specific "soundscapes," which have sounded pretty cool in previous teasers.

If you're sad that BMW no longer builds the i3, which used a lot of recycled and renewable materials as well as a carbon-fiber structure, you can be slightly less sad now. The electric M cars will use some natural fibers in their construction: 

Apart from innovations related to driving performance, high-tech will be also reflected by new and innovative materials. Lightweight construction has always played an important role in high-performance models. Therefore, BMW M will introduce for the very first-time natural fibre elements within the fully electric BMW M high-performance model line-up. The brand gained significant experience in durability, production, and integration using natural fibre in motorsport since 2019. This material offers similar properties to carbon fibre but can be produced with around 40 per cent less CO₂e.

We should learn more about the electric M3 throughout the year, and it could even debut this year, too — though we still need to see the normal Neue Klasse 3 Series first. We already know BMW is also working on an M version of the iX3 crossover, with surely more high-performance EVs to come after that. And if an electric M3 doesn't entice you, don't fret. There will still be a next-gen M3 powered by an inline-6 engine as well.