Chief of the BMW M department Franciscus van Meel has said in a recent interview that the entire M series will eventually switch to electrified and all-electric powertrains – but the process will be a gradual one.
The company plans to start releasing hybrid and all-electric M cars sometime in the 2020s. It is still undecided which models will be the first to get electrified.
Franciscus van Meel argued that retrofitting the existing BMW M designs with electrified powertrains would not be viable because of the added weight. The company therefore plans to upgrade the underlying mechanical base of the series first and proceed with the electrification later.
Earlier media rumors had insisted that the M department was getting ready to release a hybrid-powered M3, but those rumors were laid to rest.
The German automotive company expects to increase the share of EVs in its product range to 25% by 2025.
Photo: motor1.com