BMW's first electric M car will be launched in 2027, with one motor per wheel

At the end of last year we drove BMW's new iX3. It is the first of a series of electric BMWs using a newly developed platform known as the 'Neue Klasse'. Later this year we'll see the first all-electric version of the 3 Series when the i3 sedan debuts. And next year, BMW enthusiasts will finally discover what the brand's M division – which integrates motorsport into its cars like few others – can do with an EV.

There have been M-tuned EVs before, more powerful variants of the i4, iX and i7. And every time we drove them, BMW took pains to point out that these weren't real M cars, not like the M3 or M5. Frankly, they were no better than the cheaper, less powerful versions, something that won't be allowed for next year's performance EV, which could be called something like the iM3, assuming the naming convention remains based on logic.

“The next generation of models will set a new benchmark in the high-performance vehicle segment,” says Franciscus van Meel, Managing Director of BMW M GmbH. “With the latest generation of Neue Klasse technology, we are taking the BMW M driving experience to a new level and will inspire our customers with excellent, racetrack-ready driving dynamics for everyday use.”

Technology is the key to distinguishing the M EV from its more sedate siblings. The Neue Klasse platform capitalizes on the software-defined vehicle trend, where a handful of powerful computers each control a wide range of functions, rather than dozens or hundreds of separate electronic control units in black boxes that each perform one task. One computer handles the infotainment, while another handles automated driving and active safety systems. A third takes care of the relatively mundane but no less important task of climate control, plus the seats, doors and windows.

The most important one here, however, is called the Heart of Joy, which runs M-specific software called BMW M Dynamic Performance Control. This offers an order of magnitude faster response in terms of the car's electronic dynamic control compared to current M models, which are put to good use in powering the four electric motors that will power the electric M.