BMW revealed new details about the upcoming electric iM3, which will share a platform with the regular internal-combustion model.The EV M3 will have four electric motors, one at each wheel, and will operate on an 800-volt architecture, so it should have impressive fast-charging figures. The automaker hasn’t released pricing or an exact timeline but says that the electric M3 will arrive sometime in 2027.
We got our first look at BMW’s upcoming electric M3 performance sedan back in late 2024 through a set of heavily camouflaged photos. At the time, our knowledge of the upcoming iM3 was seriously limited. Two years later, and BMW is ready to divulge a bit more.
BMW
According to the automaker, the electric M3 has been developed as a proper “M” car. It’s got two electric motors for each axle, meaning one for each wheel. That means the car can toot around town in all-wheel-drive mode when it’s convenient, or favor the rear axle when you’re looking to misbehave. The front axle can also be completely decoupled, letting the rear motors do all the work and increasing range on the highway. Like some other performance EVs, the M3 comes with several drive mode presets. The modes allow for emulated gearshifts and an “exclusive soundscape fitting to the Neue Klasse.”
The whole system is managed by BMW’s Heart of Joy software, which can control the power and torque to each wheel in real time. According to BMW, that means torque distribution can be continuously altered to keep the tires on the limit of grip.
BMW
BMW
According to BMW, part of developing the electric M3 meant adapting the battery pack for track usage. To do that, the company started by adapting the cell chemistry and cooling system for higher electrical currents. The change means that the battery in the EV M3 has a higher peak output and charging power compared with the standard EV 3-series. The high-voltage battery also serves as a structural component of the EV M3 and adds stiffness to the chassis. While the company hasn’t given the exact capacity yet, it says that the battery capacity exceeds 100 kWh.
We’ll have to wait until closer to the car’s official launch for specifics on pricing and the actual arrival date, but BMW says the car will arrive sometime in 2027.
More on the EV M3
➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
