The BMW M3 is going electric – test mules spied on the road
The electric version of the next-generation BMW M3 has been spied testing again, revealing new details about the upcoming model
The current-generation G80 BMW M3 has become a benchmark for the fast saloon, and while it still has some life left, its maker is already looking towards its replacement. Word from BMW bosses in 2023 hinted at a transition towards all-electric power, with a later trademark filing making its intentions crystal clear. Prototypes have been doing the rounds for some time, first in the form of an i4/M3 mule, then earlier this year, production-bodied prototypes started appearing. While we first saw them cold weather testing with a distinctive livery highlighting the four driven wheels, a new prototype is now testing on the road giving us our best look yet at the electric M3.
The sturdy, angular Neue Klasse design language is prominent and largely uncorrupted by comparison to the concept that debuted it, save for the production-spec, regulation-influenced wheel sizes, glasshouse and bonnet height.
In terms of M-specific design, we’ve got our best look so far at the widened arches of the electric M3. Due to the location of the charge port, it’ll even need its own swollen charging flap to keep the arch surface uniform. Within those arches are sporty wheels, concealing large drilled carbon ceramic disks and wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres.
At the rear of the electric M3 prototype, we get a better look at its lower bumper design and the diffuser set-up. While not totally on show we can see the cutouts behind the rear wheels that allow more turbulent air to escape from underneath more quickly – a design seen on other performance EVs such as the Porsche Taycan.
BMW says that the model will feature a quad-motor powertrain set-up, managed by the new in-house developed 'Heart of Joy' central computer system. While it's only fitted to the 'Vision Driving Experience' test platform for now, the system and its features will trickle down into all incoming Neue Klasse models, including the M3.
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Processing data ten times faster than before and incorporating acceleration, braking, stabilisation and steering inputs in one central ‘brain’, it'll be significantly more capable than any collective of processing units before it. Not only does this mean it can theoretically manage ludicrous power levels much more effectively, it also helps make cars safer and more efficient in normal road conditions.
It’s also set to feature next-generation motor technology with more advanced heat management and more energy dense battery cells for a boost in range and charging speeds. For the electric M3, this could enable repeatable performance on track – a feat achieved by very few EVs.
2027 BMW M3 – EV and ICE versions planned
Filed with both the European Union Intellectual Property Office and German Patent and Trade Mark Office in 2023, BMW claimed the iM3 name, offering some insight into the direction the model will take. Whether the name will make it to a production car is another matter – manufacturers often file trademarks purely for legal purposes, with no plans to apply them to a product. Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management at BMW AG, did confirm to evo early on that ‘the next M3 will be BEV,’ so the cat’s been out of the bag for a while.
Intriguingly, BMW M CEO, Frank van Meel also confirmed that there will be a combustion-powered M3 (most likely a hybrid) to run alongside the all-electric car, but added ‘whether we offer both in all markets is undecided.’ Given that the G80’s S58 3-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six has been designed to comply with Euro 7 emissions standards, there's a good chance it will still be in use come 2027. Whether the UK will receive it is another matter.
A release date for the next-generation BMW M3 is still quite some way off, but Weber did reveal that it won’t come too far from the launch of the Neue Klasse platform in late 2025. Our prediction? If we don’t see the electric M3 before 2026 is out, it’s all but certain to break cover in 2027. To what reception? That’s another question. Market sentiments for expensive electric cars have cooled over the last couple of years and we’ve not yet seen an electric performance model successfully integrated as an outright replacement for an outgoing ICE model. That the next M3 will be a two-pronged, two-solution model, ought to save BMW any blushes.
