Petrol and diesel car ban should be scrapped to lessen reliance on Chinese electric vehicles, BMW boss says

Oliver Zipse has been advocating for regulators to permit different types of technologies including alternative fuels like e-fuels or biofuels and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The new fuel types would offer alternatives to petrol and diesel while not being as reliant on electric cars from China.

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Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, he said: “A correction of the 100 per cent BEV target for 2035 as part of a comprehensive CO2-reduction package would also afford European OEMs less reliance on China for batteries.

"To maintain the successful course, a strictly technology-agnostic path within the policy framework is essential."

In March 2023, EU members approved rules that would require all new cars to have zero CO2 emissions from 2035 effectively banning new sales of fossil fuels.

The UK is also set to ban internal combustion engine vehicles from 2035, although Labour has pushed for this deadline to be moved back to the original date of 2030.

Despite the deterring incentive for manufacturers to up their EV production, UK sales still remain low. This has led to the Labour Government considering whether hybrid cars would be allowed to continue being sold past the proposed 2030 deadline.

Helen Whately, Conservative Shadow Transport Secretary, claimed that the new Labour Government “either didn’t know what they were committing to” in its manifesto, to ban new sales of petrol and diesel cars “or have now realised it isn’t possible”.

She said: “This new plan is the worst of both worlds. It doesn’t do much to drive down emissions and it’s moving too fast for businesses and motorists. Labour spent years in opposition telling everyone they’d give businesses certainty, but they’re backsliding within months.”

In response, a Government spokesperson told GB News: “This Government’s policy has always been to revert to the original 2030 phase out date for the sale of new vehicles with pure internal combustion engines.

“The original phase out date included the provision for some hybrid vehicle sales between 2030 and 2035. We will set out further details on this in due course.”

BMW has followed other car makers like Volkswagen and Renault in calling for the CO2 targets to be delayed as the electric vehicle switch gathers pace.

The UK's Zero Emission Vehicle mandate instructs manufacturers to have a minimum of 22 per cent of total sales come from electric vehicles by the end of the year. This target will increase to 80 per cent in 2030 and 100 per cent in 2035.

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Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association warned that the ZEV mandate timetable presents a “major risk unless we see much greater Government support to stimulate new and used BEV demand and better charging infrastructure”.