BMW CEO: Europe must cancel ban on sales of petrol cars in 2035 to reduce reliance on China’s battery supply chain.
Warns that EU’s plan to ban ICE-powered cars by 2035 will significantly shrink the automotive industry in Europe.
BMW’s Chief Executive argues that the continent is not ready to transition entirely to electric vehicles.
The EU had in March 2023 approved a law that would require all new cars to have zero CO2 emissions from 2035.
BMW’s Chief Executive, Oliver Zipse, wants Europe Union to cancel its plan to ban new fossil fuel-emitting cars from 2035 in order to reduce reliance on China’s battery supply chain and play to its technological strengths.
Zipse warns that the EU’s plan to ban new petrol-diesel-powered cars from 2035 will significantly shrink the automotive industry in Europe. He argues that the continent is not ready to transition entirely to battery-electric vehicles.
“A correction of the 100% BEV target for 2035 as part of a comprehensive CO2-reduction package would also afford European OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) less reliance on China for batteries,” he said.
Zipse, who made the comments on Tuesday at the Paris Motor Show attended by several Chinese automakers, added that “to maintain the successful course, a strictly technology-agnostic path within the policy framework is essential.”
Like Toyota Motor Corporation, BMW CEO had long pushed for regulators to permit various technologies – including alternative fuels like e-fuels or biofuels and hydrogen fuel cell cars – which the German automaker planned to launch in 2028.
EU countries had in March 2023 approved a law that would require all new cars to have zero CO2 emissions from 2035, which effectively bans the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles.
