BMW Teases Electric M3 With Neue Klasse Design and Four Motors
The next generation of the BMW 3 Series, expected to debut in 2026, will take a page from the larger 5 Series and 7 Series and offer both gasoline and electric variants. The key difference is that the latter will be based on the new Neue Klasse platform, first seen last year on the Vision Neue Klasse concept.
Performance enthusiasts won’t be left out, of course. As a teaser, BMW M this week shared on its website and Instagram account a few details and pictures of the future M3 EV. It’s going to be one heck of a rocket, folks.
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Still tightly wrapped under camo, the high-performance compact sedan will feature flared fenders emphasizing its athletic stance. Each of the four wheels will be individually driven by its own electric motor, a setup that BMW has previously said can generate over 1,000 horsepower.
Within milliseconds, the power and torque of the spontaneously reacting electric motors can be controlled with a precision that is unattainable with conventional drive systems, the company explained. The completely new all-wheel drive system will therefore bring unrivalled performance to the road.
“Electrification opens up completely new degrees of freedom for us to create M typical dynamics,” said BMW M’s head of development, Dirk Häcker, who also talked about the electric M3 being “on the way to set new standards.”
BMW M CEO Frank Van Meel, meanwhile, has previously hinted that simulated gear shifts—not unlike the ones performed by the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N—could help drivers gauge acceleration and speed without looking at the instruments.
As for the battery, BMW has not revealed any specs yet. We do expect a next-generation battery design with significantly increased range versus existing BMW EVs, however.
Before any electric 3 Series hits the market, mind you, BMW plans to launch an electric SUV based on the Vision Neue Klasse X concept. The production model should make its debut sometime in 2025. An M model is still unconfirmed.
