BMW M has been developing an electric car prototype called The Beast

While BMW M is working hard on electric vehicles, its beloved ICE models will continue to be around for quite some time

BMW’s M division has been experimenting with electric cars for years, and as development of its first electric car continues, it offers an inside look at one of the many prototypes that played a part in making the Neue Klasse M3 a reality played an important role.

In 2018, BMW assembled a team of engineers to turn the first-generation M2 into an electric vehicle. The car is called a “beast” internally and is “super powerful.” While we don’t know exactly how much power it has, Michael Sailer of BMW M’s Driving Dynamics Development Team says it’s difficult to control because it doesn’t have the composure of production-spec M models.

Read: BMW M teases a hot Neue Klasse M3 EV

do not be afraid. BMW M boss Frank Van Meel said the company’s job is to start with an uncontrollable beast early in the development phase and then make it controllable. That’s exactly what it did on the original E53 X5 Le Mans prototype. This crazy SUV is powered by the 700-horsepower V12 engine from the Le Mans-winning V12 LMR and is the predecessor of the BMW X5 M, one of the first high-performance SUVs to hit the market.

Van Meel said BMW’s all-electric M2 will also be tamed, affecting the electric M3.

BMW’s first all-electric M car is quickly taking shape and was unveiled earlier this month in a colorful camouflage wrap. It’s widely expected to feature a four-motor powertrain, which Van Meel says will be capable of 1,341 horsepower (1,000 kilowatts) or 1 megawatt, although it’s unclear whether the production model will be that powerful.

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