BMW’s M division has been experimenting with EVs for many years now, and as the development of its first electric vehicle continues, it has provided insight into one of the many prototypes that have played an instrumental role in making the Neue Klasse M3 a reality.

In 2018, BMW formed a team of engineers who have taken a first-generation M2 and turned it into an EV. The car, known internally as ‘The Beast,’ is “super powerful.” While we don’t know precisely how much power it has, Michael Sailer from the functional development team for BMW M driving dynamics, says it’s very hard to control as it doesn’t have the calmness of production-spec M models.

Read: BMW M Teases A Hot Neue Klasse M3 EV

Not to fear. The boss of BMW M, Frank Van Meel, says that it’s the company’s job to start with an uncontrollable beast early in the development stage and then to make it controllable. This is precisely what it did with the original E53 X5 Le Mans prototype. That insane SUV was fitted with the 700 hp V12 engine from the Le Mans-winning V12 LMR and served as a precursor to the BMW X5 M, one of the first high-performance SUVs to hit the market.

According to Van Meel, the all-electric M2 from BMW will also be tamed, influencing the electric M3.

BMW’s first all-electric M car is quickly taking shape and was shown under a colorful camouflage wrap earlier this month. It’s widely expected to have a quad-motor powertrain, with Van Meel saying this it’s good for as much as 1,341 hp (1,000 kW) or one Megawatt of power, although it’s unclear if the production model will be that powerful.

We know that BMW is developing its own in-house electric motors. These motors may be water and oil-cooled, and the first electric BMW M model should be able to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in less than 3 seconds.

BMW M is gearing up for the debut of its first fully electric model, marking the beginning of a new era for the brand. Before that happens, a new video series on YouTube gives us a sneak peek behind the scenes of the EV development, showing early BMW M prototypes and discussing their quad-motor powertrain.

The first episode of the “BMW M Electrified” series is focused on the preparation of the “Board Management Drive”. This secret test drive is for engineers to share their most exciting work with BMW’s entire Board of Management. This is a crucial milestone for the team, as the future of each project effectively depends on what high-ranked officials will think about it.

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The video reveals that one of the early EV prototypes was based on the previous-generation BMW M2 (F87). The white model sports a slightly different front bumper and a pronounced ducktail spoiler, but looks fairly stock, setting aside the obvious lack of tailpipes. This likely allowed the development team to test the new powertrain and driving dynamics on public roads without being noticed.

Of course, the star of the video is the familiar BMW M prototype which has been spotted testing since 2022. This one is based on the BMW i4 but features various components from the M3/M4, wide fender extensions, carbon ceramic brakes, and a special camouflage wrap. More importantly, it is fitted with quad electric motors featuring advanced torque vectoring functions and rides on an extensively reinforced chassis with custom front and rear subframes.

BMW M / YouTube

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Carsten Wolf, who’s responsible for Integration Vehicle Characteristics at BMW M, said that the quad-motor EV powertrain will be used by all future models. “We will see the technical concepts that we are developing here now, four electric motors, in all BMW M high performance vehicles at some point in the future”. In this context, Wolf said that the modular system, comprising the EV powertrain and the driving dynamics, is crucial for the future of BMW M.

Speaking about EV development, Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH, said: “For me it’s not about transforming, it’s about embracing new technology, and to find out how to push to the limits of what is technically possible”. According to van Meel, their goal was to “centralize all of the control units into a central control logic”, reducing the complexity of the electronics and avoiding any interference between them.

Earlier this year, the BMW M boss made a bold statement about their upcoming fully electric sedan, saying it “will beat everything you have ever seen”. The production model is expected to spearhead the upcoming BMW i3 sedan’s range, which will ride on the much-talked-about Neue Klasse architecture. It will be the electric equivalent to the BMW M3, which will reportedly live on in ICE-powered form using a mild-hybrid six-cylinder engine.

At some point in the video, the i4-based prototype suffered a mechanical issue, and the team had to replace the front electric motors. Engineers cite how crucial it is to perform real-life tests from an early stage, as simulations can’t provide the same feedback on all-new technology. Thankfully, all of the issues were dealt with before members of BMW’s Board of Management sat behind the wheel of the EVs.

The next episode will likely show us the outcome of the test drive. According to BMW M’s CEO, the high-ranked officials “said nothing” after experiencing the driving dynamics of the electric models. Judging from the fact that the project has received the green light for production, this was probably a good reaction.