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The first battery-powered BMW M3 super sedan will introduce a synthesised gearbox, and four electric motors producing as much as 1000kW.
Electric Cars
The first-ever electric BMW M3 will offer simulated gear shifts – and, potentially, synthesised engine sounds – akin to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Honda Super-One when it launches in 2027.
BMW M has shared more technical specifications on its first electric 'high-performance' M car on the same level as the M3 and M5, positioned above 'M Performance' efforts such as the i4 M60 and i5 M60 sedans.
It has not confirmed power and torque outputs, acceleration times, and other headline metrics for its bespoke electric drivetrain, which uses four electric motors – one driving each wheel – and is capable of up to 1000kW.
The German car giant has now confirmed, after months of speculation, that it will offer synthesised gear shifts first introduced by Hyundai to critical acclaim, followed by Honda, and being considered by the likes of Porsche.
BMW M says the feature is not just intended to boost driver engagement with the car, but also make what is likely to be a very powerful car easier to handle in low-grip conditions, where choosing a 'gear' can limit the amount of torque the vehicle is able to provide at a given speed.
The gear shifts will be backed by an "exclusive soundscape", which teaser videos released by the brand suggest could draw inspiration from older M3s with naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engines.
"You can hear some sound sample," BMW M Neue Klasse boss Philipp Brunn told Australian media, "which gives you an idea of what we're doing, but I'm quite sure it'll not be the final one."
Dubbed M eDrive, the drivetrain of BMW M's new electric cars combines each axle's two motors into a single oil-cooled drive unit, and is claimed to combine "all the advantages of rear-wheel and all-wheel drive".
The drive units are claimed to be the "most powerful drives BMW M has ever used". If it applies to petrol and electric-car drive units, it could see each axle exceed the 478kW of the old non-hybrid M5 CS, for close to 1000kW combined.
The front motors can be decoupled to switch the M3 to rear-wheel drive, either for "dynamic driving characteristics" or to improve energy efficiency on the motorway.
Managing the power delivery, regenerative braking, and traction control is an M-tuned version of the new BMW i3 sedan's centralised 'Heart of Joy' computer system, known as BMW M Dynamic Performance Control, which is claimed to react faster than previous iterations.
The M3 EV will be able to recuperate energy faster under deceleration than any other electric BMW, though a figure in Gs – and how it compares to the 'friction' brake discs – is yet to be confirmed.
Feeding the electric motors is a unique battery pack with a capacity above 100kWh, but not as generous as the iX3 SUV's 108.7kWh, which is rated to allow up to 805km of travel on one charge.
Driving range is yet to be confirmed for the electric M3, but BMW says it will be "slightly lower" than the regular i3 sedan, which is likely to claim close to, or in excess of 850km based on European WLTP testing.
It uses M-specific battery cells designed for faster charging and a higher power output, both the peak figure on the spec sheet, and its ability to maintain a high power level in extended, high-temperature race-track driving.
The battery gains an upgraded "two-sided" cooling system, revised Energy Master control electronics, and additional connections between the pack, chassis, and suspension for improved stiffness, as the cells contribute to the vehicle's structure.
Electric BMW M cars will also introduce natural fibre materials to the brand's road cars, after being used in its racing models since 2019.
It is claimed to offer "similar" weight and stiffness properties to carbon fibre, but with 40 per cent less CO2 equivalent emitted during production.
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
