BMW Hypes The Electric M3: ‘Amazing’ To Drive

Earlier this month, the M Concept Neue Klasse broke cover, showing BMW is serious about building an electric M3. In fact, it won’t be long before the production model emerges from hiding, as the road-going car is scheduled to debut sometime next year. While the Bavarians have been making sporty EVs since the i4 M50 arrived five years ago, we have yet to see a full-fledged M car that completely ditches the combustion engine.

The electric sports sedan is likely to become the most powerful M3 in the model’s 40-year lineage, which began with the iconic E30 homologation special in 1986. BMW is unwilling to share an exact figure, but it has confirmed the car won’t match the ludicrous 1,341-horsepower output of the radical Vision Driving Experience concept from early 2025. Reports vary on how much power the four electric motors will produce, but we can make an educated guess.

The new i3 50 xDrive packs 463 hp, and BMW is likely to bridge the gap to the M3 with an M Performance variant (i3 M60) producing well over 500 hp. That would place the true M car comfortably above the 600-hp mark, as Munich will certainly want a clear separation between the two M flavors. Whatever the final figure may be, the ultimate goal isn’t to chase horsepower, according to Christian Karg, Head of Functional Integration and Vehicle Dynamics Engineering.

Speaking with Auto Express, he explained that while numbers matter, they’re not the whole story: “It’s not about the horsepower. That’s a part of the game, but the preciseness of M cars, that’s what’s unique.” The electric M3, which, contrary to rumors, won’t be called the iM3, is said to be “quite amazing” to drive when the production version goes on sale in 2027.

Aside from the quad-motor setup with xDrive and a rough horsepower estimate, little else is known about the electric M3. We do know simulated gear changes will be available, with BMW M Head of Development Alexander Karajlovic telling Piston Heads they’re actually “essential” in a sporty EV: “On the track, with gears, you know how quick you are going into each corner. Simulated ratios will help maintain that in the electric car.”

There will be sound, too. BMW recorded some of its greatest ICE hits to capture the character of its inline-six, V8, and V10 engines. These recordings will form part of a bespoke soundscape integrated into future electric M models to enrich the driving experience. As with the simulated gearbox, drivers will be able to switch the sounds off.

If you’re not ready for an electric M3, don’t fret. BMW is also planning another generation of the inline-six-powered model, though it is likely to receive some electrical assistance as well. Reportedly arriving in 2028, the gasoline-powered M sedan is expected to pair its six-cylinder engine with a mild-hybrid system to comply with stricter emissions regulations. That move could spell the end of the manual gearbox, and signs are pointing to the elimination of the rear-wheel-drive version. Yes, BMW’s xDrive system offers a switchable 2WD mode, but the extra weight remains.

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Source: BMW

Motor1’s Take: An electric M3 with simulated gear changes will certainly spark debate, but the fact that another gasoline-powered version is on the way should reassure purists. Developing a high-performance ICE vehicle that complies with increasingly stringent regulations is becoming extraordinarily difficult, so BMW deserves credit for sticking with the six-cylinder formula.

For those willing to give an electric M a chance, the concept accurately previews what lies ahead. When the production version arrives next year, it will look nearly identical, but what matters most is how it feels behind the wheel. Driving dynamics will be the deciding factor in convincing enthusiasts to switch from gasoline to electric, and how BMW offsets the EV’s added weight will play a critical role. With a confirmed 100+ kWh battery pack, it won’t be easy.