Report: The Next-Gen BMW M3 Will Land with Electric and ICE Powertrains

BMW has aggressive electrification plans, but the automaker isn’t taking its eye off the internal combustion ball. A new report from BMW Blog states that BMW is planning a next-generation M3 between 2027 and 2028 that will land with gas and electric configurations.

BMW Blog noted that BMW will release the next-gen gas-powered G84 M3 with an electric M3 wearing the internal chassis code ZA0. The publication said that BMW would likely continue using the S58 inline-six for the next-gen cars and that the current car would be getting a facelift later this year.

While these are just reports, and BMW could change anything (or everything) between now and the car’s eventual release, the change in strategy aligns with shifts we’ve seen in the auto market over the last year. Demand for EVs is growing, but slower than many companies and the government had hoped. That has led some automakers to pursue hybrids and plug-in hybrids as transitional models before pushing buyers into EVs.

Though Europe is still far ahead of the U.S. in its push to go electric, leaders on the continent have made concessions that could allow internal combustion vehicles to use synthetic fuels. At the same time, the U.S. could pull back some of its pressure on electrification as automakers push back on rules that could force billions in investments without a guarantee that people will buy the vehicles once they’re here.

This all illustrates the potentially extended roadmap the world faces in cutting fossil fuels. While I agree that electrification is a necessary step to cutting tailpipe emissions, I also know that charging is a pain, the cars are too expensive, and dealer employees don’t know enough about them to educate buyers properly. So, while BMW’s reported decision might raise some eyebrows in Europe, it’s welcome news here.

[Image: BMW]

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