The M Neue Klasse prototype testing in the snow. BMW says its new M e-drive expands on the previous M xDrive system.UWE FISCHER/Courtesy of manufacturer
The first fully electric BMW M car due in 2027 promises benchmark dynamics, a thrilling drive and an emotional experience. All bold claims from the company, considering the current negative climate toward electric vehicles, especially those with a sporting bent.
BMW, however, seems convinced that its M Neue Klasse (New Class) will rise above it all, ushering in a new era of performance.
If BMW’s marketing spiel isn’t convincing you, maybe its new quad-motor powertrain will. That’s right, the unnamed M car will get four electric motors, one for each wheel. What was initially based on rumour and spy footage was recently confirmed by the company at a stakeholders and media event in Spain.
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The M Neue Klasse prototype testing in the snow. The battery pack in the new M and adapted battery housing will be bolted directly to the front and rear subframes and the chassis for increased stiffness.UWE FISCHER/Courtesy of manufacturer
There are EVs with dual motors and triple motors, but only a handful of vehicles use four: the multi-million dollar Rimac Nevera hypercar, the new Rivian Quad motor R1T/R1S and the upcoming Ferrari Elettrica
With four motors, you get individual wheel control, unlocking significantly enhanced capability on the road or track. Combined with instantaneous response times and BMW’s new “heart of joy” driving dynamics computer, this new M car will have physics-defying abilities. BMW calls it M e-drive, which expands on the previous M xDrive system used in most of its M cars.
Think of M e-drive as all-wheel drive redefined, a highly advanced system that can precisely control each wheel, not just individual axles. It’s “torque vectoring 2.0”, technology that was first used in 1996 by Mitsubishi in rally racing. Torque vectoring made it possible to transfer torque laterally between the rear wheels, providing increased cornering capability but also better traction in slippery conditions.
The next-generation M car is based on BMW’s next-generation platform, which is a complete rethink of how the company designs and produces its cars. Dozens of computer modules, typical in modern cars, have been reduced to four supercomputers. The driving dynamics computer can process data up to 20 times faster than previous systems and governs all four electric motors, the brakes, energy recuperation and the steering.
BMW says its braking regeneration is so strong that nearly 99 per cent of regular driving can be accomplished without using the regular friction brakes. Even on the track, braking recuperation is available up to traction limits.
Dual motor drive unites one per axle.Courtesy of manufacturer
Each axle will get a new power unit that incorporates two electric motors, two gearboxes and a pulse inverter. The motors are placed parallel to each other, making each axle drive unit compact.
BMW says the new high-voltage battery exceeding 100 kilowatt-hours will have cell chemistry that’s been adapted to high-performance driving and offers high peak and sustained power delivery, higher charging power and the highest level of energy recuperation.
The battery pack in the new M and adapted battery housing will be bolted directly to the front and rear subframes and the chassis for increased stiffness.
The camouflaged “quad-motor M Car” caught testing in the snow early last year is obviously a production version of the Neue Klasse 3 Series with the M3’s signature wide fenders. And, if going from what we’ve seen with the iX3, we can hypothesize on what the new M3 or “unnamed” M car might look like.
A BMW M HP BEV prototype undergoing winter testing at an undisclosed location.Courtesy of manufacturer
BMW also confirmed that, in order to bring a bit more of the emotional DNA synonymous with M cars into the electric era, it will incorporate virtual gear shifts and M-specific drive sounds.
At an event in 2024, M boss Frank Van Meel said the quad-motor M car they are developing will be “better than anything you’ve seen before.”
BMW, however, isn’t abandoning its loyal legions of M3 fans who would likely balk at an all-electric version of their beloved sports sedan and will offer a traditional inline six-cylinder version alongside it.
BMW M Electrified E-Drive unit.Courtesy of manufacturer
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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