Earlier this year, the world word that the esteemed GT-R nameplate’s next iteration might be electric. As dear as many of these beloved high-performance nameplates are, electrification is seemingly inevitable, and everyone’s favourite Bavarian marque is playing with the idea of an electric M3 as the next step forward.
It’s been said many times that the automotive industry is in a very noteworthy transformative era. Monikers steeped in decades, even centuries, of petrol-powered car production are beginning to conform to the impending electric future. Audi, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Toyota, Porsche, Nissan, Mercedes, MINI, Rolls Royce, and even Hummer are some of the many who have begun the push towards an electrified fleet with some promising to deliver as earlier as 2025.
Spurred on by ever encroaching emission quotas, dominant high-performance nameplates and performance divisions once solely petrol powered are awash with electric powertrains. Speaking to Autocar, BMW CEO Frank van Meel hinted at the possibility of the next BMW M3 being all-electric, supporting a rear-wheel drive layout. Despite what may seem to be tainting a pure ICE nameplate, van Meel promises that the M will not lose its character.
The CEO stated that the majority of the feedback from customers indicate that there is little concern about what’s under the bonnet as long as it feels like an M car. “Maybe it will go electric – but if it does, it will always be an M3. Whatever the powertrain, you should always be able to drive our cars and know they are M cars. We have stood the test of time for 50 years and will continue to do so” —Frank van Meel
Among rumours, whispers, and hints from the BMW exec, a super-saloon codename “NK1” may see the light of day sometime around 2025. Marking a historical turn for the Bavarian firm, the apparently electric M3 will feature next-generation hardware, and battery tech and could be based on the Neue Klasse platform. The scope of choice seemingly available in the “e-Bimmer” of the future would mimic the range of choice found in current ICE BMWs and in the current M3.
Fear not, lovers of fossil fuels, although we sacrifice sound and feel, several manufacturers, such as Hyundai, for instance, have shown that not all electric vehicles need to be run-of-the-mill transport appliances. The future is electric, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be dull.
“What the engineers really like is that once you get electrified components in your drivetrain, the control of your torque and horsepower is much better, faster and easier than a combustion engine – especially in racing.” — Frank van Meel