The iX3 brings electric power to the highest-volume segment of BMW\u2019s business. But a potentially greater challenge lies ahead. To be an electric leader over the long-term, the company needs to electrify the emotional core of its brand: high-performance sports sedans like the M3 and M5. And it needs to do that with products that enthusiasts will accept as authentic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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BMW plans to launch its first electric M cars in 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Photo by: BMW<\/p>\n
Those cars are coming soon. The automaker on Tuesday announced that its first-ever fully electric M cars will hit the road in 2027, delivering \u201cunrivaled high performance.\u201d At a briefing late last year, I got the full download on BMW\u2019s plans and the technology that will power them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWith fully electric cars, we can then redefine the driving experience, especially in terms of performance, which will be quite a big step from our point of view,\u201d Philipp Brunn, head of the BMW M Neue Klasse project, told reporters in November.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Four Motors And \u2018Performance Levels You\u2019ve Never Seen\u2019<\/p>\n
Creating track-capable electric M cars involved making some important modifications to the Neue Klasse platform. The iX3 has two motors: one driving the front wheels and one powering the rears. All Neue Klasse M cars will have four motors, each driving one wheel. Each wheel can be controlled quickly and independently, leading to driving dynamics that blow other M cars out of the water, BMW says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe unique concept lets us achieve performance levels you’ve never seen in a BMW M production car as of now,\u201d Brunn said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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BMW developed new drive units that house two motors each.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Photo by: BMW<\/p>\n
That would be a unique setup in the U.S. Other high-performance sedans like the Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire<\/a> use tri-motor powertrains. The Rivian R1T Quad, R1S Quad and Mercedes-Benz G 580 With EQ Technology<\/a> are the only mass-produced quad-motor vehicles available in the U.S. right now, and they are all giant trucks. Quad-motor performance car drivetrains have, until now, been the domain of million-dollar small-batch hypercars like the Rimac Nevera, so this will be a major breakthrough.\u00a0<\/p>\n BMW developed a new drive unit for the M cars that includes two independent motors, two gearboxes, an inverter and a lubrication system all in one housing. There\u2019s one of those at the front of the car and another at the rear. For extra efficiency during highway cruising, the front axle can be mechanically disconnected, Brunn said.\u00a0<\/p>\n BMW isn\u2019t discussing specific numbers. But Brunn said the car\u2019s horsepower, torque and acceleration \u201cwill reach new heights.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Faster Software And Fake Gear Shifts<\/p>\n Just like other Neue Klasse vehicles, the M cars will use a simpler, more powerful electrical architecture that BMW says makes its latest EVs more responsive and fun to drive. Rather than spreading vehicle functions out across dozens and dozens of electronic control units, BMW is making use of a handful of beefed-up computers in an approach that\u2019s similar to the \u201czonal architectures\u201d found in Rivians<\/a> and Teslas.\u00a0<\/p>\n The automaker overhauled the Neue Klasse battery with different cells, more cooling and an upgraded battery-management system.\u00a0<\/p>\n Photo by: BMW<\/p>\n \u201cBenefits are the same as in the Neue Klasse models: faster data transfer between the control units, leading to a clear performance gain for us,\u201d Brunn said. \u201cThe system is 10 times faster, which sharpens system responses, and by that, improving driving dynamics.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cHeart of Joy,\u201d a computer that centrally handles everything related to the powertrain and driving dynamics in Neue Klasse vehicles, features software that\u2019s tailored specifically for the M cars.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tying the whole driving experience together will be simulated gear shifts\u2014a first for BMW\u2014as well as corresponding \u201cM-specific sounds.\u201d The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N<\/a> pioneered phony shifting and engine noises in an electric car. And to the surprise of many, it\u2019s been a hit. Porsche said it will add simulated gears to its EVs, and now BMW is joining the party, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n While Hyundai\u2019s system is limited to emulating the engine note of a gas-powered Elantra N, BMW has a much more interesting back catalog of engine notes to use. Imagine swapping between the sounds of a vintage BMW 2002\u2019s four-cylinder and a modern V-8 M5, all in a quad-motor EV.<\/p>\n BMW says the new drive units will deliver performance that exceeds any M car.\u00a0<\/p>\n Photo by: BMW<\/p>\n At the core of the 800-volt powertrain is a Neue Klasse battery pack with some high-performance upgrades. It will feature cells with extra cooling and that prioritize power delivery over energy density. That results in higher power output and faster charging, but lower overall capacity and driving range. BMW says the pack will be over 100 kilowatt-hours. The car\u2019s battery management system has been overhauled too, in order to handle the higher energy peaks.\u00a0<\/p>\n Moreover, the M pack is connected to the vehicle and suspension in more places than in a standard Neue Klasse vehicle, Brunn said, stiffening the car.\u00a0<\/p>\n In a lot of ways, electric cars are fundamentally better for performance, democratizing supercar-like acceleration while presenting unique opportunities like a motor at each wheel. Of course, battery weight and recharging times still present serious challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n BMW has clearly gone beyond lip service and put a lot of work into adapting the M3 and M5 for the electric age. It has proven it can bring cool ideas and tech to the high-performance space. And the iX3 shows that the automaker can make a great EV using its next-gen Neue Klasse tech, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n But can it deliver a package that\u2019ll satisfy enthusiasts, who may be skeptical of EVs writ-large? It\u2019s hard to say until we get behind the wheel.<\/p>\n Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n \n \t\tWe want your opinion!\n\t<\/p>\n What would you like to see on Insideevs.com?<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n