Drive modes are nothing new, however BMW could go for extra detailed customization in future efficiency EVs.

First noticed by CarBuzz, a latest patent utility filed with the US Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) goes past present drive modes, permitting drivers to tailor issues like throttle mapping and torque supply to dramatically change the conduct of a automobile.

As a substitute of a restricted variety of modes like Sport and Eco with fastened settings, this method would give drivers a graph from which they may select customized settings, based on the appliance. It takes benefit of the higher flexibility of electrical motors, which will be powered up or down in a linear vogue, like a dimmer swap. And since most electrical powertrains use single-speed gearboxes, automobile pace extra instantly correlates to accelerator-pedal place.

Profiting from these qualities, BMW’s proposed system relies round acceleration and pace curves. The acceleration curve is much like the throttle mapping utilized in present internal-combustion vehicles, and the pace curve equalizes a sure pedal place to a sure pace. Each will be adjusted by dragging the curve line alongside a graph displayed on a automobile’s touchscreen, per the appliance, which additionally means that BMW’s Hans Zimmer-designed EV sounds may shift relying on these changes.

As CarBuzz notes, there are a number of potential advantages to this method. By selecting non-linear pace or acceleration curves, drivers may mimic the conduct of an internal-combustion automobile, quickly disabling the flat torque curve inherent to an electrical motor in favor of the peaks and valleys of a gasoline engine’s torque curve. Vehicles may be programmed to speed up extra steadily than they’d in any other case, offering a security web for novice drivers or these not used to the facility or sudden acceleration of efficiency EVs.

Patented concepts do not all the time make it to manufacturing, however we all know that BMW is planning electrical M vehicles. It already sells the iX M60 and i4 M50, and lately confirmed the 650-hp i7 M70. It has additionally teased fashions with extra in depth upgrades, together with a four-motor drivetrain.