On October 15th, BMW’s CEO Oliver Zipse stated that the European Union should abolish its plan to ban the sale of new fossil fuel cars starting in 2035. This decision is aimed at reducing reliance on China’s battery supply chain and leveraging Europe’s own technological advantages.
Zipse has long advocated for regulatory bodies to allow the use of various technologies, including electronic fuel, biofuels, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. He noted that there is a prevailing sense of pessimism in Europe and emphasized the urgent need for a new regulatory framework to maintain competitiveness in the region.
Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, Zipse said, “Amending the 2035 target of 100% pure electric vehicles will reduce European OEMs’ dependency on Chinese batteries.”
He also stressed the importance of adopting a strict technology-neutral approach within the policy framework, meaning not favoring any specific technology but choosing the most suitable based on demand.
In March 2023, EU countries passed a law requiring all new cars to achieve zero carbon emissions from 2035, essentially banning diesel and gasoline vehicles. The EU also mandated a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 2021 levels.
Due to current lower-than-expected sales of electric vehicles, automakers such as BMW, Volkswagen, and Renault, as well as the Italian government, have called for relaxing or postponing carbon reduction targets to avoid heavy penalties.
However, the German government, where BMW is headquartered, has rejected requests for an early review of the carbon reduction targets, citing the need for industry clarity and the urgent necessity to address climate change.
Similarly, during the Paris Motor Show, the head of the French Automobile Association PFA did not explicitly call for the abolition of the 2035 ban but indicated the need to quickly “return to the negotiating table” to discuss issues related to reviewing these targets.
The EU plans to conduct a review of the carbon reduction targets in 2026.
(Reference: Reuters)