BMW M Lineup Electrification in the works

The latest BMW M offerings were displayed at the Geneva Motor Show and there are talks that electrification is imminent. In fact, the BMW M8 Gran Coupe might also be one of the last M cars out there that won’t have a hybrid powertrain. Currently it has the same powertrain and transmission as the M5, a 600 HP 4.4-liter V8.

In an interview with BMW spokesman Bernhard Santer, they said that the future of the BMW M brand will be electrified. “We do plan to electrify the M lineup, but the vehicles must maintain their ability to go on the racetrack,” he said. “Weight plays a big role there, so we need to balance those decisions with battery technology.” This is consistent with the other statements that other BMW officials have released recently.

Weight will continue to be a big factor. BMW needs to make sure that the resulting M cars will still feel like they should, adhering to the philosophy developed by the brand over a number of decades. If this exercise proves to be a success, future fully-electric M cars will most likely deliver exactly what we expect them to and that’s all we can hope for right now as the days of the ICE definitely seem numbered.