BMW still has come combustion-powered tricks up its sleeve.
Going green ain’t easy. Major automakers are scrambling to push out new electric cars, and dumping huge amounts of cash into the process. BMW isn’t an exception. The brand has begun transitioning huge swaths of its lineup away from conventional combustion engines. There’s even an M-branded BMW i4 on sale today.
But BMW’s CEO, Oliver Zipse, says that the brand should be cautious when approaching its electrified future, despite the popularity of EVs like the BMW iX. He even goes so far as to say that other brands are making a mistake by rushing into things. Well, except for Porsche, which has arguably taken the slowest approach to electric vehicle adoption of any major automaker.
Speaking to Reuters, Zipse said that in regards to “the EV push, we must be careful because at the same time, you increase dependency on very few countries.” What Zipse is referencing is who controls the means of EV production. Zipse said a huge number of EV components come out of China, and is obviously advising caution against becoming too dependent on those materials.
Zipse’s stance on outright combustion bans is well-known at this point. He believes that if you aren’t the one selling gas-powered cars, someone else will. To a degree, he’s right. The ICE car market is still strong, and conventionally-powered cars are often cheaper than their electric counterparts, though that may change in the future. At the very least, this bodes well for the BMW M3 and other gas-powered BMW cars.
In fact, Zipse says offering combustion cars in the future is incredibly important, citing both the cost logic above and the (for now) lack of EV infrastructure. “If someone cannot buy an EV for some reason but needs a car, would you rather propose he continues to drive his old car forever?”
The BMW CEO also argued that offering gas-powered cars is still key to BMW’s profits and its environmental goals, again citing the high entry-point of electric cars. Zipse expressed concern over high energy prices and says that automakers will need to be more efficient in their production and recycling methods to help keep costs down for the consumer, regardless of what powertrain is being produced.
