BMW M CEO: The All-Electric BMW M3 Won't Be Called the iM3

A few days ago, we told you that BMW trademarked the "iM3" designation. The paperwork submitted with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) triggered our spidey senses. The marque has been intensely promoting its next generation of battery-electric vehicles. Last year, for example, BMW became "DeeMW" on social media. It was quite the move!

Keep in mind that all this advertising is happening while the i4, iX, i5, and i7, together with their many variations, are on sale and are being heralded as amazing EVs. But while they may be great, progress can't happen overnight. It takes time to create something so good that millions will want it.

Back in 2022, the automaker wanted to show that it was planning on moving forward at an accelerated pace, and it attracted our collective attention with minimum spending. It worked. But the real test comes in 2025. That's when the brand is going to debut the "New Class" of vehicles, which should propel BMW into an entirely new paradigm.

The carmaker's high-performance division must also follow suit. Even though we're moving forward into a zero-emission world, BMW M is a massive name that needs to stick around. The half-M cars are not good enough. Hyundai already made the Ioniq 5 N. The Bavarians can't afford to wait around.

Then, there's Tesla posing an even more serious threat. The incoming Model 3 Performance will likely help many forget about controlled explosions under their hoods and the sweet sound of a tailored exhaust system.

Another potential problem for BMW is Tesla's switch to the 800V architecture. That enables the world's most valuable automaker to make EVs that charge faster, need less copper for wiring, and are more efficient because they weigh less.

But if the BMW Vision Neue Klasse won't become the iM3 per the trademark, what will it be called? BMW M CEO Frank van Meel said the moniker won't disappear. Thus, the M3 will always be an M3, even though the engine and the gas tank will be replaced with motors and a high-voltage battery.

"We would never use an "i" on an "M," even though it would be electric," said van Meel at the 2023 Top Gear Gala.

The executive underlined that "i" vehicles are all about technology, and full-on BMW M automobiles are not solely about that. That's one interesting remark, one that may hint at some interesting developments at BMW M.

Back when BMW decided to create a new division that would explore electrified powertrains, it gathered the best minds it had in-house and put them to work. That's how we got the i3 and i8. The former was a quirky, bubbly EV, while the latter connected downsized tradition and modern efficiency. They were experiments, but they showed that BMW had it in them to bring something different to the market.

BMW M's CEO said he wants to keep those raw, unique emotions that vehicles like the M3 provide their owners. But can that be achieved without the latest tech in an online and interconnected world? Probably not.

So, why discard the efforts of so many dedicated people by completely ignoring what the "i" achieved until now? They deserve to be recognized through that letter, especially now that we're galloping toward an all-electric future.

But trademarking a moniker could mean that BMW M is simply protecting itself from having others use variations of its iconic designations. It could also mean absolutely nothing because the brand previously said it wouldn't make an "M" SUV.

At the end of the day, who knows what's really going through BMW's executives' minds? Maybe an M3e or an M3i are already in the pipeline. The i3 is certainly making a comeback as a four-door all-electric sedan. Why wouldn't we have an i3 M or an iM3, right?