Here’s How BMW Plans to Boost EV Range and Efficiency With Its New ‘Heart of Joy’ ECU

BMW has announced that its Neue Klasse electric vehicles will have a 30% increase in range and 30% faster charging, thanks to its new "Heart of Joy" ECU (Electronic Control Unit). This advanced control unit serves as the brain for BMW's upcoming EV models and combines the drivetrain and driving dynamics in a single unit.

According to BMW's development boss, Frank Weber, the Heart of Joy will take driving pleasure to the next level. The unit controls acceleration, braking, vehicle stabilization, steering functions, and charging, and is ten times faster than its previous system. BMW developed the Heart of Joy ECU entirely in-house and it is designed to work in tandem with its Dynamic Performance Control software.

The Heart of Joy ECU features four high-performance computers fused into a single unit, which BMW refers to as "super brains." Another three super brains are included for automated and highly automated driving, infotainment, and other basic functions like climate control, lighting, and vehicle access.

BMW claims that with integrated drivetrain, braking, and energy recuperation, the system boosts efficiency by up to 25%. Weber explained that the system increases efficiency and boosts range because in the future, drivers will brake almost exclusively using energy regeneration.

BMW showcased the Heart of Joy ECU in its Vision Driving Experience test vehicle, which will officially debut at Auto Shanghai 2025. The Vision Vehicle develops 18,000 Newton meters (13,269 lb-ft) of torque and uses color codes in its rims to indicate when the vehicle is accelerating (green), recuperating energy (blue), or using friction brakes (orange).

The Vision Vehicle is just a test vehicle for drivetrain and driving dynamics developed specifically for BMW's Neue Klasse EV models and will not go into series production. The first Neue Klasse EV model will go into series production later this year at BMW's Plant Debrecen in Hungary.