BMW has finally started peeling back the camo, at least figuratively, on the long-rumored electric M3. After those heavily disguised prototype sightings back in late 2024, we now know this is not just a 3 Series EV with an M badge slapped on the trunk. BMW says the electric M3, often referred to as the iM3, is being engineered as a proper M car from the start, and it will share its overall platform approach with the internal-combustion version rather than going off on its own weird one-off tangent.

The headline feature is the drivetrain: four electric motors, one at each wheel. That layout opens the door to some interesting personality shifts depending on what you want the car to do. It can run as an all-wheel-drive grip machine for daily use, but BMW also says it can bias power rearward when you want it to feel more playful. Even better for the purists, the front axle can be fully decoupled so the rear motors handle the work, which should help highway efficiency and make the car feel more like the classic rear-driven M3 experience when you are in the mood.

All of that hardware is only half the story, because BMW is leaning hard on software to make the car feel sharp instead of sterile. The company’s new “Heart of Joy” control system manages power delivery and torque distribution in real time, constantly adjusting how much shove each wheel gets to keep the tires right at the edge of grip. BMW is also talking about drive modes that include simulated gearshift behavior and a custom sound profile designed to match the brand’s Neue Klasse direction. Whether that “soundscape” ends up being cool or corny will come down to execution, but at least BMW seems to understand that driver involvement matters here.

Then there’s the battery, and BMW is clearly thinking beyond a quick 0 to 60 blast. The pack is being developed with track use in mind, with revised cell chemistry and upgraded cooling to handle higher currents without wilting when things get hot. BMW says capacity will exceed 100 kWh, and the high-voltage pack also acts as a structural element to add stiffness to the chassis. The whole system runs on an 800-volt architecture, which is great news for charging performance, even if BMW is not ready to share exact numbers yet. Pricing and a precise on-sale date are still under wraps, but BMW is targeting an arrival sometime in 2027, and this one is shaping up to be a major moment for the M3 nameplate.