BMW CEO: EU Combustion Engine Ban Is ‘No Longer Realistic’
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Europe’s plan to effectively ban the sale of combustion engine cars from 2035 will lead to a “massive shrinking” of its automotive industry, according to BMW AG CEO Oliver Zipse.
Dialing up warnings that the continent isn’t ready to ditch gasoline and diesel engines, Zipse said Oct. 15 in prepared remarks at the Paris Automotive Summit that the European Union’s plans “are no longer realistic” and that subsidies for electric vehicles are “unsustainable.”
The combustion engine has long been a cornerstone of Europe’s industrial landscape, playing a vital role in its manufacturing prowess. The technology not only gave rise to BMW, Volkswagen AG and Mercedes-Benz Group AG, but also led to a vast supply chain of small and medium-sized enterprises that produce critical components, from pistons to exhaust systems.
Oliver Zipse, président de #BMW AG, intervient au #ParisAutomotiveSummit.
Un RDV incontournable du #MondialAuto avec @LucChatel, @lucade_meo, C. Périllat, @PPouyanne, @cheydema, J. Bozzella, C. Tavares, @antoine_armand pour découvrir leur vision de la #mobilité du 21e siècle ! pic.twitter.com/ZlYbnt8STj — BMW Group France (@BMWGroupFrance) October 15, 2024
That industry is at risk, especially as carmakers shift to electric models that require fewer and different inputs. The shift is proving a challenge for Europe’s auto industry, which has struggled to cope with the removal of government subsidies and intensifying competition from Chinese EV makers like BYD Co.
The ban “could also threaten the European automotive industry in its heart,” Zipse said. The measures will “with today’s assumptions, lead to a massive shrinking of the industry as a whole.”
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