BMW is voicing caution over the EU’s plan to phase out internal combustion engines by 2035.
Unlike Audi, Mercedes, and Volvo, BMW has never pledged to go fully electric, insisting that customers should have a choice. The company predicts that by 2030, demand for gasoline-powered and electric vehicles will be roughly equal.
Chief Technology Officer Joachim Post emphasized, “Ultimately, the customer—not the EU—decides.” He warned that a rapid ban on combustion engines without considering infrastructure and costs could “kill an entire industry.”
Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius expressed similar concerns earlier this year, saying the auto industry is “heading for a wall” and needs to rethink its course. Mercedes has already decided to extend the life of internal combustion engines and is preparing a new V-8 AMG.
Meanwhile, EVs accounted for only 15.6% of European car sales during the first eight months of the year (17.4% including the U.K. and EFTA countries). BMW continues to produce all types of engines—including V-12s for Rolls-Royce—and even supplies them to other manufacturers.
For a brand whose iconic “M” stands for “Motoren” (engines), a complete switch to EVs isn’t yet feasible—combustion engines remain a profitable business.
In the first half of the year, BMW and MINI sold nearly 500,000 vehicles in Europe—more than in Asia or the United States. A potential ban could deal a serious blow to the company and trigger mass layoffs across the industry.
Automakers are urging Brussels to reconsider its decision, but so far the EU is holding firm.