You can tell the electric M3’s debut is fast approaching when BMW starts shedding the camouflage. The upcoming ZA0 has been caught on video testing with a thinner disguise, giving us a better look at the bodywork. Don’t expect the wraps to come off completely just yet, but the latest spy footage suggests development is progressing toward the big reveal.
The ZA0 appears to stay remarkably faithful to the concept car, right down to the central air vent on the hood. However, BMW seems to have toned down the M Concept Neue Klasse’s rear end. Whereas the show car had a wacky rear diffuser that looked ready for a track-only special, the road-going prototype has a more restrained setup. That’s hardly surprising, as BMW needs to balance the concept’s aggressive styling with the practicalities of building a production sedan.
No carbon fiber hides beneath the camouflage. BMW has already said the electric sedan will use natural-fiber materials for the roof and door mirror caps, building on technology the M division has been developing for years. These materials can offer weight-saving benefits similar to carbon fiber while requiring less energy to produce and generating lower CO₂ emissions during manufacturing.
The Next BMW M3 Is Ditching Carbon Fiber
Developed with Swiss company Bcomp, the flax-based components also offer a more sustainable alternative without abandoning the lightweight construction BMW M has long prioritized. With the ZA0 carrying a sizeable battery pack, every opportunity to reduce weight matters. However, natural-fiber composites won’t magically make it as light as its combustion-powered counterpart.
On the concept car, the front splitter, rear diffuser, and some structural elements of the four bucket seats were also made from natural-fiber composites. However, we’ll have to wait and see how many of these components make it to the road-going version. We’ve heard the standard roof will use this flax-based composite, with an optional non-opening panoramic glass roof.
The latest prototypes also wear gold brake calipers behind their 20-inch wheels, suggesting that carbon-ceramic brakes could be on the options list. BMW M has traditionally used this distinctive finish for its carbon-ceramic braking systems, although the calipers alone don’t confirm that the ZA0 will offer them. Given the added weight of a confirmed 100-plus-kWh battery pack, serious stopping power will be particularly important.
The BMW M3 ZA0 Will Have Four Motors Instead Of Six Cylinders
BMW has already confirmed that its first electric M3 will use a quad-motor setup, with an electric motor for each wheel. Based on the Neue Klasse architecture, BMW is developing the high-performance sedan as a proper M car rather than a regular EV with a more aggressive body kit. With four motors and an unconfirmed output of more than 800 horsepower, the ZA0 promises the kind of performance you’d expect from an M3, without a gas engine under the hood.
BMW plans to unveil the electric sports sedan in 2027 and get it to dealers and customers before the end of that year. It’s not the only next-generation M3 in development, either. The company is also preparing a gasoline-powered successor, codenamed G84, for 2028. It should retain the familiar S58 inline-six, potentially with mild-hybrid assistance.
In other words, BMW M isn’t ready to go fully electric. The ZA0 will represent a major technological leap for the division, while the G84 should cater to buyers who aren’t ready to give up the sound and character of an inline-six engine. For now, though, the electric M3 is the one getting closer to the spotlight as a step up from the i3 M60.
Video: PrototypeHunters / YouTube
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