Good news for the hardcore M car fans, BMW is not yet ready to refurbish its fully-fledged M models with solely electrified powertrains, as the technology isn't there yet. And, according to the CEO of BMW M, Frank van Meel, you will have to wait until 2030 at the earliest to get your hands on a fully electric M2, M3, or an M4. M Performance cars, like the BMW XM and iX M60i will be growing and getting more advanced between now and then.

With BMW’s performance wing celebrating its 50th anniversary, a handful of cars will be launched by the end of 2022. The first full-fat M car with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, the XM, is on the list, along with the M3 Touring. And while we know that BMW’s future is electric, we won’t be witnessing the full-fat M models without ICEs. Because its performance division is motivated by a very sensitive audience who wants thrilling experiences while driving an M car. Examples like the iX M60 and the i4 M50 are among the first M Performance electric cars, but they don’t have the racetrack capabilities of an M2, M3, or M4, which hardcore fans will not look forward to.

Frank van Meel confirmed that the M division would not go fully electric on the road with its full-on M cars until it had achieved success on a racetrack. This is happy news for the M car fans who would prefer not to move away from the sweet-sounding S58 or S68 engines. Frank van Meel further explains:

If you watch a drag race between the i4 M50 and the mighty M3 Competition, you will understand how the electric M treatment isn’t powerful enough to take down a fully-fledged M car.

The M chief is concerned about the body weight of electric M cars because of the battery weight, which can potentially reduce the fun when driving. But with the evolution of technology, there might be a chance to shrink the physical battery size while retaining the capacity, power, and overall range. Furthermore, van Meel added that the M3 and the M4 are comparatively younger than other existing BMW cars and will continue to deliver the thrill of internal combustion engines. The upcoming M2 is highly anticipated and will surely pack better performance than the M2 lite.