M3 EV Concept Poll: What’s Holding You Back?

The M3 EV concept is finally here. Curious to see what’s driving opinions—is it the design, performance, weight, charging, or simply a preference for ICE? Vote for the option that best matches your thinking.


Update: Appreciate those who voted or left comments. Keep em coming!

MetaWurkz wrote

The M3 EV concept is finally here. Curious to see what’s driving opinions—is it the design, performance, weight, charging, or simply a preference for ICE? Vote for the option that best matches your thinking.

I am interested, but will defer final judgement until I test drive one myself,

a

I'm intrigued, but it has two too many doors.

It's real competition to me is a CPO Taycan GTS/Turbo/S, which is an incredible sports sedan, EV or not. In a way a completely unfair comparison, but likely others will also look at it that way, too.

The M series is a celebration of BMW racing heritage. There is NO EV racing heritage. It's just using a history of winning to sell EV's.

Car-Addicted wrote

The M series is a celebration of BMW racing heritage. There is NO EV racing heritage. It's just using a history of winning to sell EV's.

Racing is racing.
Whether it's powered by gasoline, diesel, electricity, or unicorn farts.

If it fast enough to win, and has had BMW Motorsport fairy dust sprinkled on it, it's worthy of serious consideration.

a

If BMW keeps releasing these hideously designed vehicle, I guarantee my next new vehicle will not be a BMW.

I also have no desire to own an EV. Don't care if it has 2,000 hp.

potentially 1000hp, count me in

JABCAT wrote

If BMW keeps releasing these hideously designed vehicle, I guarantee my next new vehicle will not be a BMW.

I also have no desire to own an EV. Don't care if it has 2,000 hp.

Come on man, you have an M2 and talking about hideously designed vehicles? I'm in a G80 so I can't talk, but this new design is pretty decent especially in comparison.

I haven’t seen a new M3/M4 design that’s better than my F82. Until that happens, I’m not upgrading and I've been keeping an eye on Porsche as well.

The F80 BMW M3 CS was peak design—my favorite. The M3 EV posseses similar design elements.

Missing an option for "I'm already an EV owner and it would take serious convincing to make me go back to an ICE car" - so I picked the one that said I'd made up my mind regardless of design and performance even though that's not really true. The huge jump in performance and 0 rpm torque is what made me interested in EVs to begin with, long ago now.

The M3 EV is gorgeous and BMW M knows what they're doing, so it's going to be an absolute beast to drive. Obviously I don't know better than anybody else here what the final specs will be but I can't see the ICE version realistically performing anywhere near the BEV even if it's lighter by a fair bit.

But obviously with any car like this, the deciding factor for most of us is going to be personal taste, not the raw numbers. I don't fault anyone who prefers an ICE M3 because that's what an M car is supposed to be to you. Vote with your wallets and I'm sure BMW will continue to try to keep you happy as long as the politicians will let them.

However, for those of us who are working in or have worked in the automotive industry these last few years it's very obvious where the future is headed.

bpeckham wrote

I'm intrigued, but it has two too many doors.

Hearing this. I also am old geezer that desires petrol power in my fun cars. So, while the design isn’t too bad overall, two big strikes against it. And for these reasons….

I'd rather chew tinfoil than own an EV.

Burrcold wrote

Come on man, you have an M2 and talking about hideously designed vehicles? I'm in a G80 so I can't talk, but this new design is pretty decent especially in comparison.

The concept car is just ugly from every direction, the rear being the worst. Just when the C8 Corvette held the title of worst rear end, BMW decided to get in the game.

Definition of Butt-ugly & ugly-ass.

The options are biased. Where is the "it looks ugly as hell" option?

As a current M4 owner I do like the design and see how it could be awesome. But there are some typical EV design proportions that I do not like. Where the midsection is long and front/short bumper (skateboard). I prefer the more classic proportions where you have some prestige gap. I think manufactures have to put out bold designs like this because there isn`t anything else to distinguish themselves anymore. A battery is a battery at the end of the day. But the visuals, interior, and other style elements can differentiate them. So I see the potential but won`t be jumping on this generation M3 anytime soon.

As someone considering replacing my G20 with an M2 xDrive, the G80 front end is still ugly to me after all these years, and the G87 just looks weird! But I'd still take it for its size and drivetrain...

This M3 EV concept is a huge improvement in design. The video of the M3 EV concept taking a slow drive around the track looks awesome. Rear is weird in pics, but in the video, it looks great.

I agree with F8X CS being peak BMW design. No bad angle on that car.

RichardC300 wrote

As someone considering replacing my G20 with an M2 xDrive, the G80 front end is still ugly to me after all these years, and the G87 just looks weird! But I'd still take it for its size and drivetrain...

This M3 EV concept is a huge improvement in design. The video of the M3 EV concept taking a slow drive around the track looks awesome. Rear is weird in pics, but in the video, it looks great.

I agree with F8X CS being peak BMW design. No bad angle on that car.

The G87 doesn't look great in certain colors and in pictures a lot of the time. I liken it to that good-looking girl/guy who just has a hard time taking a good photo. The opposite is also true, I'm sure we've all experienced that person who somehow always looks great in photos then you see them in person and think wtf.

My wife sent me a pic of the G87 in the showroom when she was buying her X3MC. It was Zandvoort Blue, and I remember telling her how ugly that car was & no thanks. The only color I like from the original palette is Toronto Red (which I bought). Java Green looks great, Voodoo Blue also looks great now. I do think it needs some accessories (front splitter, side skirts, etc.) to really look it's best.

This EV concept, however, I think will be as ugly in person as it is in pics. Just not enough makeup to fix it.

afadeev wrote

Racing is racing.

The upcoming electric BMW M3 (often referred to as the iM3) is expected to have an estimated curb weight of around 2,275 kg (5,016 lbs). This makes it significantly heavier than the gas-powered G80 M3, which weighs about 1,730 to 1,780 kg (3,800 to 3,924 lbs) depending on the trim.

Not a race bred car more like a boat anchor with batteries.
My 2020 BMW M4 CS has a curb weight of 3,483 lbs (1,580 kg).

IMO, these cars are going in the wrong direction.

Speed cameras are popping up everywhere. Cell phones and cars monitor our driving. Everyone on the road has a video device and a social media account, ready to ruin your life if you’re caught exercising the potential of your 1,000+ HP car. And we’re one or 2 steps away from driving behavior going straight to insurance and LE in real time.

Race tracks are closing too, but that’s about the only place one could see relevance to this kind of power. BMW is often at the head of the horsepower war. But at these power levels, who cares?

Personally, I don’t want bragging rights. I want a car that’s engaging to drive in the environment that I drive it in. I’ll refrain from comment on the design.

fiveightandten wrote

Race tracks are closing too, but that’s about the only place one could see relevance to this kind of power. BMW is often at the head of the horsepower war. But at these power levels, who cares?.

Another good point on why an EV M car is not a performance car only a example of BMW automotive Stolen Valor.

"Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia explicitly prohibits the use of all-electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles in motorsports activities on its track surfaces."

Very few tracks allow EV's. Leave your M3i charging in the garage.