A BMW boss says petrol and diesel cars will continue to be sold alongside electric vehicles into the future, despite calls for polluting vehicles to be ditched.
Bernd Körber, product boss at BMW, has spoken about the brand's plans for the future of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, saying that they would remain on roads in the coming years.
He confirmed that BMW will retail front-wheel and rear-wheel-drive platforms, as well as all powertrain options, as it moves towards the Neue Klasse platform next year.
It is said that this will allow the brand to deal with fluctuations in the market when it comes to electric vehicles, which have suffered from changing attitudes in recent years.
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The brand's electric car range is very popular among drivers
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse platform has been described as a "new era of mobility", with a focus on new electric cars, advanced vehicle technology and unique production methods.
Körber acknowledged that it was always going to be difficult to focus on a straightforward path given the volatility of the new vehicle market and ever-changing regulations.
He added: "For the foreseeable future, we’re into a technology-flexible approach, which is why we planned to build all drivetrains on one production line.
“If a market shifts in one direction, we don’t have to close a plant or reduce a shift. We just shift to another drivetrain,” Autocar reported.
Jochen Goller, member of the board of management at BMW focusing on sales, said perceptions of electric vehicles fluctuate wildly, especially within the short span of a few years.
Despite this, he said many were still optimistic that growth would come from electric cars in the future.
He added: "I think with more models coming with a longer range and a shorter charging time, some of the purchase barriers will be removed.”
At present, the UK is set to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2035, a delay of five years from the original goal, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announcing the change in a speech last September.
However, this could soon change following the July 4 General Election, with political parties calling for new rules to accelerate the switch to electric vehicles.
The Conservatives have confirmed that it will stick with the 2035 target, as it will give drivers the opportunity to access electric vehicles when prices fall and public charging becomes more accessible.
In opposition, Labour announced that it would return to the original 2030 date to give assurances to drivers and manufacturers, with the Liberal Democrats pledging to do the same.
The Green Party have gone far further than any other group, promising to end the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2027 before banning the use of petrol and diesel vehicles on the road by 2035.
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BMW will continue to grow its range of electric vehicles through the Neue Klasse platform
BMWReform UK will go the other way, however, and completely scrap the ban, allowing for new petrol and diesel vehicles to be sold after the current 2035 deadline.