It appears that BMW M is in active talks with BMW i division on the possibility of electrifying future M models. While the Bavarian giant is looking to electrify its passenger car line-up (the latest G20 3 Series is tipped to receive an all-electric variant), BMW M cars have steered clear of electrification.
However, head of BMW i product line, Robert Irlinger, told Auto Express that his team had already started working with BMW M to deliver electrification in performance cars. “You will see electrified vehicles in M division as well,” he said.
“We are in talks with all of the other BMW Group brands and sub-brands – Rolls-Royce, MINI and yes, M division – and you will see electrification coming across onto their products. It will be at differing levels, of course, but it will happen. We are working with them, right now,” Irlinger explained.
He added: “There are some real advantages from incorporating electric power into performance vehicles. You have immediate torque delivery which can give you acceleration while a combustion engine is still thinking about it. These advantages we will spread to the whole brands, in a specific way.”
This bit of news comes as no surprise. In November 2017, BMW M confirmed that it was developing hybrid cars, with several prototypes – complete with functional hybrid powertrains – well into the testing phase. Electrifying M cars is technically a compliance move to meet stringent emissions regulations, but BMW assures that its latest electric tech will offer engineers and customers a wider range of options than ever before. Fancy a BMW M3 hybrid, anyone?
Love the word “electrified” –
How was your ride? Electrifying .. I’m electrified
Fuel is way too cheap there in Malaysia. Making electrified cars still hugely irrelevant,
Don’t leave out the Motorrad division too.
Every car company is moving towards electrification and EV. Infact by 2035, Europe will be fully EV. Not long more. Only 16 years more
But one car company still sleeping. Time to wake up yea!
By your logic, every car company are cheating customers with their electrified and EV cars. Only one company seem to be honest with their customers. Bravo to that company which not yet have electrified car.
When everybody sell Electric cars globally, in Malaysia we produce petrol cars, how are we going to export petrol cars to the world when the world is using EV?
Sure can. We can export petrol flying cars according to our glorious ministers. So why not?
If other car companies around the world are cheating their customers, why must we follow them to cheat customers too? We should be honest to our customers and not cheat them with electric cars.
Copy paste: “The big issue here, hybrid and EV sellers must inform the buyer of all these costs at point of purchase.
Our salesman all talk sweet. Especially BMW and Mercedes salesman. But they never tell you that their batteries all cost RM130k and above. That is just battery. The service labour and also the electrical parts is another big bomb. Each time….nothing less than 10k.
Don’t believe? Ask all the Toyota Prius owners in Malaysia. They will tell you how costly their electrical parts costs.”
YB Kunta Kinte on Mar 11, 2019 at 8:56 pm
EV won’t work in Malaysia because TNB rates is one of the highest in the world.
In other countries, their electricity is cheap. In Malaysia, electricity is very expensive. All the more when houses have changed to the Digital meter which runs 2X fast.
So, no point double whammy rakyat with high EV road tax becaus ewe are paying exorbitant TNB rates.
Last time TNB raised prices saying Oil went to US100. But when oil went down in price, TNB “Forgot” to reduce electricity rates to the rakyat.
I will leave this here for you to eat your own words.
No thanks, the battery cost a fortune here!