BMW CEO Warns Companies Not To Focus Only On Electric Vehicle Production

BMW should be careful in its decision to discontinue internal combustion cars by 2030. (photo: twitter @bmw)

JAKARTA – BMW has issued a plan to stop the manufacture of internal combustion cars by 2030. However, the pro-green energy policy actually received a warning from the German car manufacturer's top brass.

BMW's Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Zipse, said that the company must be careful not to rely too much on certain countries and focus solely on the production of electric vehicles. He added that there is still a market for internal combustion engine cars.

"When you look at the technology coming out, the EV push, we have to be careful because at the same time, you're increasing dependence on very few countries," Zipse said at a meeting in New York. He also highlighted that the supply of raw materials for electric vehicle batteries is largely controlled by China.

"If someone can't buy an EV for some reason but needs a car, would you rather propose he or she continue driving his old car forever? If you don't sell combustion engines anymore, someone else will," Zipse said, as quoted by Reuters.

Zipse has long advocated an all-out ban on sales of combustion engine cars in the face of increasing pressure from regulators in the auto industry to curb carbon emissions and environmental impact.

But it offers a more fuel-efficient combustion engine car is a better key from a profit perspective and an environmental perspective. Zipse also points to the gap in charging infrastructure and the current high price of electric vehicles.

Zipse also suggested that planning is needed as energy and raw material prices remain high by becoming more efficient in their production and increasing recycling efforts to keep costs down.

"We have peaks now, they may not stay on peaks, but they won't go back to their previous prices," he said. "How much energy you need and use, and circularity, matters, for environmental reasons but more for economic reasons."