The same electronic fakery used by Hyundai to put personality into its Ioniq 5 N will soon be used by BMW. The Ioniq star car from the South Korean brand uses artificial engine sounds and fake gears to mimic the appeal of high-performance combustion cars, something BMW will adopt for the upcoming battery-electric M3 in 2027.

BMW M admits it needs to take a similar approach for the EV hero car of its Neue Klasse, but rejects any claim of fakery.

“We’re not pretending to be a combustion car. It’s the emotional connection,” the global head of the M division, Frank van Meel, told Wheels during a round-table interview from Germany.

“We are going to have something like emulated gearshifts and sounds, coming from our classic engines. Just to enhance the feeling.“

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You can only connect to something you know, or feel comfortable with. The human being is trying to find something it is familiar with. Or to a human being it makes the most sense. In order to be connected to the road, you need to have acoustic feedback.” 

Van Meel said it’s this long-term connection to high-performance inputs, from the scream of a combustion engine to the kicks from full-throttle upshifts, which provide enjoyment for fast-car drivers and that M is chasing for the EV M3.

“Can it be cool, can it be engaging, can it be something you want to drive? It’s about emotion,” he said. “I think we’ve got the right answers. We’re trying to take the whole community with us. To be honest, it’s going to be crazy. So I’m looking forward to that.”

He would not give any detail on the engine sound, but said it would not be completely identical to the in-line sixes or V8s from past M3s.

“You can take Star Trek sounds, you can go crazy. We will use the basic sounds of the electric motor, but adapt.”

BMW M has already shown its Precision Driving Experience prototype for the M3 EV and van Meel teased a little more detail.

“It’s an open secret we are working with four independent electric motors. It’s the vehicle dynamics that grab you at first. It is a once-in-lifetime chance to do something really great. You will have this crazy car that’s so quick, it’s quicker than anything else.”

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But van Meel said BMW M would take a two-road path to the future, bringing EV but retaining combustion power.

“The good news is we have both directions. So we can go on like this. You have to decide which one to take,” he said. “What makes me so positive about the all-electric one is that timing is everything. We are convinced that what we are working on right now is exactly the technology everyone has been waiting for in a high-performance car.

“It’s something to look forward to, no matter if you like electric cars or not. It’s different to everything else available on the market today. We know what we’re doing already.

“We cannot step down. We always have to take the next step. Whether it’s combustion or electric.”