BMW CEO says: "Internal combustion engines are a big deal" will never disappear. Never!" (3 photos)

BMW's statement on the future of internal combustion engines

It has become known that internal combustion engines will not completely disappear from the European car manufacturers' range by 2035, as previously assumed, since some hybrid models will continue to exist. However, according to the statement of a high-ranking BMW representative, ICEs have received not just a ten-year reprieve, but can be considered practically immortal.

"Internal combustion engines will never disappear. Never!"

These are the words of Jochen Holler, BMW’s head of customer, brand and sales, who spoke during a roundtable discussion at the Munich Motor Show. Interestingly, it was at this event that BMW introduced the electric iX3, the first car in the Neue Klasse series that will define the brand’s development for the next decade or more.

How serious was the statement?

Was Holler serious? He obviously didn’t mean that gasoline engines would still exist when cars learned to fly and humanity mastered teleportation. No sane person would believe that. But was he implying that internal combustion engines would still be relevant in 40, 50 or 60 years?

BMW’s press office quickly intervened to temper the enthusiasm for Goller’s eloquent statement. A company spokesperson explained that the comments were made in a “joking context,” according to AMS magazine. He added that the sales manager was trying to emphasize that the adoption of new drive technologies varies significantly across countries and regions.



The numbers tell the story

For those living in Europe and the US, the transition to electric vehicles is happening faster than in other markets, even if not at the pace that manufacturers like BMW had initially expected. Electric cars already account for a fifth of all new car sales in Europe, and while their share in the US is smaller, mass adoption in America (and perhaps regulatory changes) will come sooner than in India or remote parts of Africa or Asia.

The good news for Western consumers who aren’t looking to move to Chad to avoid buying an electric car is that BMW appears to be sticking with a multi-energy strategy around the world, at least for a while. The company’s older CLAR platform is being updated to allow for the continued existence of internal combustion engines and hybrid variants, such as the new X7, alongside electric Neue Klasse models.

A multi-platform future

Autocar India, which first reported Haller’s comments, claims that BMW will eventually have three platforms: the Neue Klasse for electric cars, a new multi-energy version for hybrids (and likely hydrogen), and a base platform for entry-level ICE models.



So will internal combustion engines ever go away? Of course, they will one day be history, but thanks to hybrid technology, consumer demand and perhaps eco-fuels, they still have many years to go.

BMW’s stance reflects the complexity of the global transition to alternative fuels, with different markets showing vastly different rates of development. While Europe and North America are rapidly adopting electric vehicles, many regions of the world will remain dependent on traditional technologies for a long time. This flexible strategy allows the automaker to meet the needs of different markets while preparing for a future where electric power could become a dominant force in the automotive industry.