- An electric BMW M3 is in the works and prototypes have been spotted
- A video provides a taste of the generated sound within the cabin of one of the prototypes
- The electric M3 is due around 2027 and will still have a gas-powered counterpart
BMW is working on a new generation of electric vehicles, known as the Neue Klasse, and some of them will be the basis for dedicated M cars powered purely by batteries.
The first electric M car will be an M3 based on an electric 3-Series, and prototypes have been tested in public view for a long time already. The electric M3 is currently expected to debut in 2027 as a 2028 model for the U.S., or roughly one year after the arrival of the electric 3-Series.
BMW is documenting the development of the electric M3 in a YouTube video series, and the third episode, released on Wednesday, gives us our first taste of a generated sound the car will produce. At the 7:40 mark of the video, Carsten Wolf, the engineer in charge of the vehicle’s characteristics, is seen behind the wheel of an i4-based powertrain test mule, and as he accelerates, we hear a generated sound progressively getting louder as the speed builds. It sounds like a mix of the current M3’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 and a jet engine.
While it may seem like a gimmick, a vehicle’s sound is an emotional aspect that helps a driver better connect with the vehicle, Stefan Erler, the head of user experience and drivability powertrain at BMW M, explains in the video. With gas cars, the sound also provides the driver with a sense of how fast the vehicle is traveling without them having to look down at the speedometer, providing a safety aspect, especially during spirited driving, like on a racetrack.
This safety aspect is something BMW M wants to keep in its EVs. In an interview with Top Gear last year, BMW M boss Frank van Meel said simulated gearshifts could also be useful for giving drivers feedback on what the vehicle is doing, particularly during track sessions.
Development of the electric M3 is far from its infancy. The M division has been working on electric powertrains since at least 2018. The final setup will be a quad-motor powertrain rated at at least 700 hp, and where each motor powers an individual wheel, enabling precise and infinitely variable torque distribution. By leveraging various sensors and driver inputs, such as steering angle and accelerator position, the system will optimize torque distribution to achieve neutral, linear, and predictable handling, even at the limit.
Frank van Meel
No details have been disclosed about the battery being tested in the prototype. However, BMW is developing a sixth-generation battery design for the Neue Klasse EVs, which could potentially power the electric M3. These batteries will utilize cylindrical cells instead of the current prismatic design and, along with other improvements, are expected to deliver a 30% range increase over BMW’s existing EVs.
A gas-powered version of the next 3-Series is also planned, and van Meel has previously confirmed that there will be a gas-powered M3 as well. The gas M3 is expected to run an updated version of the current model’s turbocharged engine.
