It wasn’t developed to help save the planet or money at the pump. No, this BMW E36 M3 was converted into an EV for one purpose: racing.

EV West is serious about electric cars but not in the same way that many would automatically assume. Why exactly? The firm doesn’t really care all that much about saving the world’s atmosphere from greenhouse gases but is interested in electric technology for the sole purpose of making cars even faster. Tuned host Matt Farah is given an exclusive look and some time behind the wheel of an E36 BMW M3 that’s been converted into an EV. It develops a total of 342 horsepower and 850 lb-ft of torque at 600 rpm on the dyno.

The development of this insane EV wasn’t easy and the kinks are still being worked out, but EV West thinks its racing technology would be a good fit for an event such as the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.