BMW is one of the most dedicated luxury car manufacturers in its transition to electric vehicles, and the Bavarian automaker intends to tackle high-performance models in the coming years.
Frank Weber, the head of development, mentioned in a recent interview with Drive magazine that the upcoming generations of BMW M3 and M4 could be 100% electric. Needless to say, the news quickly spread across social media and has stirred up a lot of discussion in recent days. Some are in favor, while others, especially the purists, see it as an insult.
In any case, the matter is not set in stone, as the head of development mentioned that these electric versions must be \"better\" than the current gasoline versions to be produced. Between you and me, I strongly doubt that it\'s possible. It\'s clear that an electric powertrain could make the Bavarian cars faster in a straight line, there\'s no doubt about that. However, batteries are very heavy, and that\'s what could completely change the dynamics of the brand\'s sports cars on the circuit, in particular. Moreover, I haven\'t even mentioned the sound, which could be greatly affected by the absence of an internal combustion engine, if you catch my drift.
Sink or swim
As I mentioned earlier, there\'s a chance that BMW might not take the electric route with the next-generation M3 and M4. The brand wants to measure the performance of each model, and if they don\'t meet expectations, the brand will simply continue with gasoline powertrains. However, BMW is encouraged by technological innovations and the brand also wants to do everything possible for the performance variants of its cars to become electric. Nevertheless, I like the fact that it\'s not a one-way street.
No compromises
During the interview, Frank Weber was asked about the possibility of using multiple powertrains. In other words, they wanted to know if there could be a gasoline-powered BMW M3 and an electric BMW M3 at the same time. Furthermore, they asked him if hybridization was being considered, given that full electrification might not be an option. He responded that \"in any case, there will be only one type of powertrain\" under the hood of the future M3 and M4. As for a hybrid powertrain, it\'s certainly an option the brand is considering.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
