Electric models from the BMW M division will include the option to decouple the front motors, making them rear-wheel drive
2 hours ago
- The carmaker has revealed its future M-branded EVs will have quad-motor powertrains.
- Powering the long-awaited electric M3 will be a 100 kWh pack with cylindrical cells.
- In addition to adding simulated gearshifts, BMW will include a special soundscape in M EVs.
The era of all-electric performance cars from BMW M is nearly upon us. For years, the brand has been feverishly developing its next generation of cars and has confirmed that the first of these new models, the electric M3, will debut in 2027.
At the center of all future electric models from BMW M, starting with the M3, will be an innovative powertrain based on the sixth-generation technologies found across the standard Neue Klasse family. At the front axle, there will be two motors, while at the rear, there will be a further two motors, each of which drives a single rear wheel.
Read: BMW’s Electric M3 Might Be Silent, But It’s Built To Make You Scream
BMW isn’t yet ready to reveal how much power its quad-motor system will produce, but don’t be surprised if future EV Neue Klasse models have four-digit horsepower ratings. The motors are arranged in parallel, delivering power to one gearbox per wheel. Each of the two drive units also incorporates an inverter. The motors also allow for the precise control of power and torque at each wheel, creating what BMW says is a driving experience “that has never been achieved before.”
In news that will no doubt please hardcore driving enthusiasts, M says the front axle can be fully decoupled, turning its models into rear-wheel-drive beasts. Switching into RWD will also improve efficiency and boost driving range, so you can save the planet and spin up the wheels at the same time.
Purist Features
This isn’t where the driver-focused features will end. Much like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, electric M Neue Klasse models, like the M3 EV, will include simulated gear shifts and a special soundscape, aiming to add some emotion into the EVs, which are often void of excitement.
Supplying the motors will be a 100 kWh battery pack using BMW’s latest cylindrical cells. Driving ranges will obviously vary depending on the model, but the brand notes the pack has been designed to withstand the rigors of racetrack use. To offset some of the hefty weight of the electric powertrain, these electric M models will include lightweight natural fiber components.
The ’Heart of Joy’ high-performance control unit will control all driving-related processes, like control of the wheels and the steering, operating alongside four high-performance computers. To put it simply, M’s Neue Klasse models will be tech fests aiming to put the driver at the center of the experience.
