The Breakdown
- The BMW M3 EV will come standard with all-wheel drive.
- Disengaging the front motors will be possible to enable RWD.
- The 100-kWh battery pack will be specific to high-performance vehicles.
The winds of change are blowing at BMW. Although the brand already offers several electric M Performance models, a full-fat M car without a combustion engine has yet to arrive. That day will finally come sometime in 2027, when the M3 “ZA0” sheds its colorful camouflage. Ahead of its debut, early technical details suggest BMW is making a genuine effort to ensure its EVs are exciting to drive.
The electric super sedan will feature four electric motors, with two mounted at each axle. As a result, all-wheel drive will be standard, though rear-wheel drive will be possible by disconnecting the front motors. Turning off xDrive won’t just enable the tail-happy behavior you’d expect from an M car; it will also improve efficiency, unlocking additional miles of range.
BMW says the quad-motor setup will deliver a “driving experience that has never been achieved before,” enabled by one electric motor and gearbox per wheel. These motors will draw power from a battery developed specifically for M vehicles. Using cylindrical cells, the new pack is said to deliver more than 100 kWh of usable energy and to double as a structural component, bolted to both axles to increase chassis stiffness.
While BMW hasn’t disclosed a horsepower figure, we can make an educated guess. The new iX3 50 xDrive produces 463 hp from a dual-motor setup. A hotter M Performance variant, likely called the iX3 M60, should exceed 600 hp with just two motors. Add two more motors, and it’s reasonable to expect full-fat M models to surpass 700 hp. That figure seems plausible, especially considering the wild VDX concept pushed nearly double that output, topping 1,300 hp.
BMW will also try to inject some ICE nostalgia by giving the electric M3 simulated gear shifts and artificial engine sounds. Most likely, drivers will be able to disable these gimmicks if they’d rather enjoy the silence. For purists, a new gas-powered M3, codenamed “G84,” will retain the inline-six when it arrives later this decade, possibly in 2028.
BMW M3 EV teasers
Motor1's Take: The electric M3 is shaping up to be far more than a warmed-over version of the upcoming i3 sedan. Still, its commercial success will depend on whether traditional M buyers are ready to make the jump to EVs. Many enthusiasts still crave the roar of a six-cylinder engine and the engagement of a manual gearbox, likely at a lower price than the forthcoming electric model.
While the specs revealed so far give us reason for optimism about how it will drive, weight remains a concern. With four motors and a relatively large battery pack, the electric M3 will inevitably be much heavier than the regular M3. After all, the iX3 already tips the scales at 5,037 pounds (2,285 kilograms). It will be interesting to see how BMW’s hardware and software work together to offset some of that mass.
