The wider adoption of electric vehicles on a global scale means people are very curious about all aspects of these cars, from range to charging times. However, they are also interested in how they drive and especially how they accelerate. That’s pretty understandable as electric motors have instant torque and thus provide great adrenaline rushes from behind the wheel. That said, how does BMW’s M850i compare with a Tesla Model 3? That’s what Carwow set out to discover.
As Mat Watson explains in the beginning, the comparison with the Model 3 is only right, as the Model S P100D will demolish almost any car on the planet in a straight line. Its Ludicrous mode is just madness and few cars can keep up with it. The Model 3, however, is a bit more tame. It has two electric motors with 450 HP and 640 Nm of torque, all-wheel drive and instant pedal response. It’s a really fast car, no matter how you look at it.
The BMW M850i xDrive has a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 making 530 PS and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque. All of that is sent to the wheels through an automatic 8-speed gearbox and the xDrive system, allowing the M Performance car to reach 62 mph in a claimed 3.7 seconds. It’s fast, no doubt about it, but the E63 S AMG sitting right next to the Tesla is even faster still. With its 612 HP and 850 Nm of torque, some are calling it a supercar, doing 0-62 mph in just over 3 seconds according to Mercedes.
Real life tests, however, showed different results. Both the BMW and Mercedes are known to post even better numbers and that’s because manufacturers these days are underselling the power figures and performance numbers for some reason. The Tesla will have its work cut out though. The AMG will surely be faster but will the M850i beat it as well? Let’s find out.
