That is what the electrical BMW M3 might sound like

• An electrical BMW M3 is within the works and prototypes have been spotted
• A video provides a taste of the generated sound throughout the cabin of considered one of the prototypes
  
• The electrical M3 is due around 2027 and can still have a gas-powered counterpart

BMW is working on a brand new generation of electrical vehicles, often called the Neue Klasse, and a few of them will probably be the idea for dedicated M cars powered purely by batteries.

The primary electric M automobile will probably be an M3 based on an electrical 3-Series, and prototypes have been tested in public view for a very long time already. The electrical M3 is currently expected to debut in 2027 as a 2028 model for the U.S., or roughly one 12 months after the arrival of the electrical 3-Series.

BMW is documenting the event of the electrical M3 in a YouTube video series, and the third episode, released on Wednesday, gives us our first taste of a generated sound the automobile will produce. On the 7:40 mark of the video, Carsten Wolf, the engineer answerable for the vehicle’s characteristics, is seen behind the wheel of an i4-based powertrain test mule, and as he accelerates, we hear a generated sound progressively getting louder because the speed builds. It seems like a combination of the present M3’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 and a jet engine.

While it might appear to be a gimmick, a vehicle’s sound is an emotional aspect that helps a driver higher connect with the vehicle, Stefan Erler, the pinnacle of user experience and drivability powertrain at BMW M, explains within the video. With gas cars, the sound also provides the driving force with a way of how briskly the vehicle is traveling without them having to look down on the speedometer, providing a security aspect, especially during spirited driving, like on a racetrack.

This safety aspect is something BMW M wants to maintain in its EVs. In an interview with Top Gear last 12 months, BMW M boss Frank van Meel said simulated gearshifts may be useful for giving drivers feedback on what the vehicle is doing, particularly during track sessions.

Development of the electrical M3 is way from its infancy. The M division has been working on electric powertrains since at the least 2018. The ultimate setup will probably be a quad-motor powertrain rated at at the least 700 hp, and where each motor powers a person wheel, enabling precise and infinitely variable torque distribution. By leveraging various sensors and driver inputs, reminiscent of steering angle and accelerator position, the system will optimize torque distribution to realize neutral, linear, and predictable handling, even on the limit.

Frank van Meel

No details have been disclosed in regards to the battery being tested within the prototype. Nonetheless, BMW is developing a sixth-generation battery design for the Neue Klasse EVs, which could power the electrical M3. These batteries will utilize cylindrical cells as a substitute of the present prismatic design and, together with other improvements, are expected to deliver a 30% range increase over BMW’s existing EVs.

A gas-powered version of the following 3-Series can be planned, and van Meel has previously confirmed that there will probably be a gas-powered M3 as well. The gas M3 is anticipated to run an updated version of the present model’s turbocharged engine.