The European Union (EU) emission standards are leaving the automotive sector in uncertainty, and Oliver Zipse, CEO of BMW, has now warned that the EU’s planned ban on combustion engines by 2035 could jeopardize the competitiveness of the European automotive industry and slow down investments.
In statements to the German newspaper “Die Welt”, the CEO of BMW harshly criticized Brussels’ emission policies, reminding that the “current regulation is a disaster”, however he expressed confidence that the regulation will be revoked within a maximum of three years, partly due to the enormous costs.
According to Oliver Zipse, the EU should not only assess emissions at the tailpipe, but should request a comprehensive evaluation of the entire vehicle life cycle, from raw material extraction to production and end-of-life.
Furthermore, Zipse advocates for a complementary offering of conventional combustion engines, plug-in hybrids, electric cars, and hydrogen vehicles. In this way, the CEO of BMW disagrees with the EU’s intention to pressure car manufacturers to phase out combustion engines and focus on 100% electric models, having reiterated his call for an investment in synthetic fuels (e-fuels), considering that used cars with combustion engines will remain on the road for many years.
