With emissions and efficiency regulations growing ever stricter, many worry about the future of high-performance petrol vehicles. The good news ismany will adopt green tech and still deliver credible performance. Rumours suggest the next-generation BMW M5 will feature plug-in hybrid tech mated to a V8 petrol engine. Wait, it gets better as there are rumours of an all-electric BMW M5 in 2024 with 750 kW!

First and foremost, this electric BMW M5 is not going to be part of the recently-unveiled facelifted 5-Series range, but rather form part of the next-generation which is expected around 2023.

Car Magazine UK has shared some details of the 7th generation BMW M5 and we're excited. It appears there will be 2 versions, with the first adopting a plug-in hybrid strategy with a turbocharged petrol V8 motor and electric motors giving it an output of around 560 kW / 1000 Nmto all 4 wheels. This powertrain option is rumoured to be headed for the yet-to-be-revealed BMW X8.

The 2nd version is controversial as it will be an all-electric affair.The goals are a 0-100 kph time of 2.9 seconds and an electric range of 700 km on a single charge. Rumours suggest there'll be 2x 250 kW electric motors at the rear, with one 250 kW motor driving the front axle. In total, that's 750 kW or the magical 1000 hp mark. We know premium manufacturers will be pushing hard in this space and we'd bet that BMW has looked at how Porsche has engineered its Taycan electric sportscar.

While it's too early to even see prototypes on the road of this new electric BMW M5, we know BMW M is working on electrified performance vehicles as CEO Markus Flasch confirmed this on a social media livechat.

Further Reading

2024 is a long way away, but BMW is preparing an M5 CS.

BMW M5 (2018) Review

BMW M5 Competition Review – Do we need a faster M5?

Facelifted BMW 5 Series officially revealed

Updated BMW 5 Series gets M Performance parts