But no burner off? BMW and Mercedes have plans up their sleeves
The combustion engine ban in the EU is on shaky ground. It is currently almost impossible to predict how electrically we will drive in the future. For the German premium manufacturers BMW and Mercedes, however, one thing is already clear: the electric car is not really the only right way.
E-cars not the only way: U-turn at BMW and Mercedes?
Virtually all major car manufacturers have announced their commitment to electric cars, albeit to different degrees. BMW and Mercedes are no exception, even if the Bavarians keep the back door open, not to give the combustion engine a definitive rejection. Now these characters have been underlined again.
First and foremost, BMW’s plans are about the popular off-road vehicle of the X-series. They are said to continue for many years into the mid-2030s Available in diesel and petrol versions become, know that Handelsblatt from internal circles. It is not yet clear whether this will have to be the end of the road, at least in the EU.
From the year 2027, there will even be another complete model for the models newly developed platform ready, in which all drive concepts can be installed. In the case of BMW this means: petrol, Diesel and battery, even the fuel cell should play a bigger role at Bayern in the future. Although a lot of money is being invested in the development of the “New Class” e-car platform at BMW, the plans do not sound like an end to other types of drive.
BMW has not officially evaluated the information from the Handelsblatt. According to the business newspaper, BMW boss Oliver Zipse recently stated: “There may be competitors who have theirs prefer to curtail diversity and thus embark on a contraction course. I can only say: That’s not our idea.” The e-cars of the two German brands are often the better choice, even compared to Tesla.
On top of that, the competitive pressure from China for German manufacturers is increasing:
Mercedes has also officially sworn off the combustion engine and wants to have almost made the switch by the end of the 2020s. However, when the electric goal was formulated, careful precautions were taken: the plan to become exclusively electric applies “wherever market conditions permit”.
Can German premium brands do without e-cars?
In plain language this means: The market decides. In China and the USAthe former the most important market for German car manufacturersthe internal combustion engine has no expiration date. In the EU, the end of combustion engines from 2035 hangs in the balance. The lagging expansion of the charging infrastructure could also significantly worsen the market conditions for e-cars. Under these circumstances, Mercedes does not need to let the combustion engine die out. The Stuttgarter have not commented on the report of the Handelsblatt.
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