BMW knows some enthusiasts will need convincing that an electric M3 deserves the M badge. But apparently, that persuasion campaign started within the company. In its latest M3 EV development documentary, BMW singles out one particularly demanding audience: the man who drives its M cars on Nürburgring record runs.

Jörg Weidinger, a racing driver and BMW M development engineer, helps determine how these cars behave when pushed. Colleagues described winning him over with electric propulsion as a challenge. After driving the near-production M3 EV at the Sachsenring, however, he sounds rather pleased.

“That’s impressive. A real leap forward. The experience is incredible,” he says, and his reaction centers on the confidence the car inspires. Coming from someone whose job is to find the limits of M cars, that is an encouraging response, even though, let’s not forget, this is still BMW’s own promotional video.

What the engineers are trying to achieve with the M3 EV is pretty interesting. Their discussions focus on steering feedback, an accelerator that lets the driver dial in power precisely, and brakes that are easy to modulate. The goal is a car drivers can place accurately and understand as they approach its limits. It’s about more than speed.

That theme runs through the series. An earlier installment covered how to make the electric M3 controllable and rewarding near the limit. Another explored how its artificial acceleration sound could help drivers judge speed and acceleration, drawing lessons from combustion engines without simply copying their sound ( as Mercedes-AMG did ).

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