- BMW’s next-generation M3 is testing ahead of a market launch around 2027
- The next M3 will offer the choice of gas or electric powertrains
- The electric M3 will ride on the Neue Klasse platform and feature a quad-motor powertrain
BMW is fully embracing electric mobility, a commitment that will soon extend to dedicated M cars from the automaker’s BMW M high-performance division.
BMW M has already launched a range of tamer M Performance EVs, including the i4 M50, i5 M60, iX M60, and i7 M70 M. However, the division is now developing an electric M3 as its first dedicated M EV.
Prototypes for the new electric sports sedan have been spotted, and BMW M has already shared some details on what to expect.
Firstly, M3 fans who still prefer gas-powered engines will have an option in the new M3, which is expected to arrive around 2027, likely as a 2028 model for the U.S. BMW M boss Frank van Meel revealed last October that the next M3 will offer a choice between gas or electric power.
Frank van Meel
The gas version is expected to use a variant of the current M3’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 engine. Its platform—shared with the next gas-powered 3-Series, which is also being tested—will be an updated version of the current model’s CLAR platform. Meanwhile, the electric M3 will utilize the Neue Klasse dedicated EV platform, which will also underpin an electric 3-Series being developed alongside the next gas-powered 3-Series. The electric 3-Series, likely to be badged as the i3, is expected to arrive in 2026. The first Neue Klasse EV will debut later this year, taking the form of a compact crossover within the X3 family, and will likely be badged as an iX3.
BMW M has previously revealed that it is developing a quad-motor powertrain for its dedicated EVs. This powertrain will feature two motors mounted at each axle, and in some configurations, it will deliver over 1,340 hp. However, the electric M3’s output is expected to be capped at around 700 hp.
Each motor will individually power one of the wheels, allowing precise and infinitely variable torque distribution, according to BMW M. Using various sensors, along with input from the driver’s steering angle and accelerator pressure, torque distribution can be optimized to suit the conditions—such as providing extra grip on slippery surfaces or enhancing stability during cornering. At the same time, the powertrain is being designed to deliver linear power output, which BMW M sees as a core characteristic of its vehicles.
2028 BMW M3 EV spy shots – Photo via Baldauf
Van Meel has also hinted that it may come with something similar to Hyundai’s simulated gear shifts. He said last June that such a system provides a sense of how fast the car is accelerating and the speeds it is reaching without the driver actually having to look, which will aid the driver in extreme situations, like on a racetrack.
The car will also likely feature BMW M’s own take on BMW’s next-generation user interface, debuting in the Neue Klasse family. The traditional gauge cluster will be replaced, with key information relocated to a head-up display spanning the base of the windshield. Additional information will be presented on a large touchscreen display in the center of the dashboard.
While the next M3 will offer a choice between gas and electric powertrains, this won’t be the case for all dedicated M cars. Rumors suggest that the next 4-Series—and by extension, the next M4—will be offered exclusively as an EV.
