BMW's Electric M3: The Future's Most Powerful Performance Car

As some automakers rethink their EV strategies, BMW is pushing forward with bold plans. The company is set to launch models using its Neue Klasse platform in the coming years, including high-performance M cars. For those concerned about the shift to electrification, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel offers reassurance, claiming the electric M3 will "beat everything."

In an interview with Motor Trend, van Meel expressed excitement over the car's quad-motor configuration, highlighting the advantage of controlling the drivetrain and chassis with "one central logic." This setup aims to deliver a "neutral, linear, and predictable" driving experience, promising unmatched performance.

BMW's head of engineering and R&D, Frank Weber, has hinted at the electric M3 generating one megawatt of power, equivalent to 1,341 horsepower. The M3 will feature advanced battery chemistry and cooling systems, in-house designed e-motors, an 800-volt architecture, and specialized software to manage it all.

BMW began testing a four-motor performance powertrain in an i4 prototype back in 2022, though the power output was never disclosed. Motor Trend reports that the upcoming M3 will produce around 1,000 kW, or 1,341 hp. This would make it the most powerful production M car ever and more powerful than nearly every production electric car on the market, including the Lucid Air Sapphire and Tesla Model S Plaid.