According to Sylvia Neubauer, BMW M’s sales boss, the upcoming all-electric BMW M3 will be close in price to the combustion-powered model. That seems pretty logical, keeping similar-sized models in the same category similar in price. But there's a 500-horsepower elephant in the room that could be either very tempting for some buyers, or completely frustrating for others.CarBuzz/ValnetWhile both the EV and gas M3s will have similar pricing, BMW won't endow them with similar power. The version with an engine should have around 500 hp, while the electric model will literally double that to 1,000 hp. That's a very wide gap for the same money."The good news is that from a pricing perspective, they are in the same ballpark,” Neubauer told Autocar. While we know that all-electric vehicles are evolving to democratize power, an all-electric BMW M3 with twice the power of its gas-powered equivalent at close to the same price is a game changer. It makes the future of EVs interesting again. Four Electric Motors And 1,000 hp BMWWe know that the upcoming BMW M3 EV will be powered by four electric motors, one driving each wheel, which means a huge amount of power, and a lot of control over how much power goes to each wheel at any given time. The EV version will be built and styled on the Neue Klasse platform, while the gas-powered M3 will continue on its current platform. Despite the completely different chassis and drive systems, Neubauer says they will both contain the same DNA.“It’s not only about acceleration and power, it’s about drivability, maneuverability and that level of trust and connection between the driver, car and road. With a high-performance BEV, you need to be able to trust it every millisecond, and the car is so convincing," Neubauer told Autocar. She goes on to say that there are "functional differences that lead to a different design in some areas of the car, but when you look at them, you will see that they are twins.” Enthusiasts Will Still Need Convincing BMW BMW is perfectly aware that the internet is already full of haters trashing the all-electric M3 before it even hits the streets. But, BMW isn't planning on targeting different buyers as it's a full-blooded M3. Neubauer goes on to acknowledge there are die-hard petrol heads and people with "more progressive all-electric mindsets." And, given BMW's history and heritage, it looks like the brand is going to be happy giving customers a choice and letting them decide which experience and levels of performance they want.As it stands, BMW doesn't appear to mind that EV sales have stalled, and the general downturn in EV sales is unlikely to affect the high performance segment. Those that want the highest straight-line performance are going to look towards EVs, while gas-powered cars, for the foreseeable future, are going to be lighter and have that mechanical feel purists crave so much.From there, it's going to be about people actually experiencing what a performance EV can do, not just in terms of power, but control. For those on the fence who haven't driven a high-performance EV, it means showcasing how it goes around corners as well as in a straight line. But it all starts with getting people to try them.“We need to get you into the cars," Neubauer said.It's going to be one of BMW's most important cars for the future of the M brand. And, no doubt, when the electric M3 goes on sale, BMW will likely make sure dealers have a dedicated unit for customers to try out before they make a blind decision to go gas with a lower-powered M3.
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