McLaren and BMW could reunite for EV supercar development

McLaren is reportedly working on a deal that will see it partner with BMW and develop its first all-electric supercar.

According to Motor, a Memorandum of Understanding was recently signed by the two companies, which will see them work together on a new EV platform for supercars and hypercars of the future.

It’s understood BMW’s M-Sport division will be responsible for developing the electric powertrain, and McLaren will take control of the aerodynamics and construction.

If all this has a familiar hum to it, it’s because BMW partnered with McLaren on a project before.

The result of that alliance was the iconic McLaren F1, which uses a 6.1-litre BMW S70/2 V12 engine.

A new partnership also makes sense from a commercial point of view. BMW can assist McLaren in achieving Britain’s strict emission regulations.

For BMW, McLaren’s design expertise will undoubtedly come in handy on future projects.

McLaren is set on embracing an electric future. This year they entered the Extreme E rally championship, which pits electric SUVs against each other in a rallycross championship.

Kiwi rally ace Emma Gilmour was even recruited to lead the team.

Similarly, the marque is set to debut in Formula E next season.

BMW is a powertrain supplier in Formula E but withdrew its factory team at the end of 2021.

In saying that, the German carmaker is surging ahead with the development of high-performance road-going EVs.