Europe must rethink EV rollout timetable to cut reliance on China, says BMW boss Oliver Zipse View on euronews

Global BMW boss Oliver Zipse has called for the European Union to scrap its ban on new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035 to give the industry more time to reduce its reliance on Chinese battery technology.

PARIS (Reuters) - Europe must cancel its plan to ban new fossil fuel-emitting cars from 2035 to reduce reliance on China's battery supply chain and play to its technological strengths, BMW's chief executive said on Tuesday.

The top executive at German automaker BMW called the planned EU-wide ban on new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 a threat to the European car industry in remarks at the Paris Motor Show on Tuesday. In order for European automakers to become competitive again,

"A correction of the 100% BEV target for 2035 as part of a comprehensive CO2-reduction package would also afford European OEMs less reliance on China for batteries," Zipse stated. In March 2023, the European Union passed a landmark law requiring all new cars to have zero CO2 emissions from 2035.

BMW's chief executive Oliver Zipse has said that Europe must do away with its plan to ban new fossil fuel emitting cars from 2035, to curb dependence on China's battery supply chain, and use its technological strengths to its advantage, Reuters reported.

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said the EU's ban on gasoline cars could "threaten the European automotive industry in its heart."

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse called for an end to the 2035 EU combustion engine ban. He cites "pessimism" in the region and reliance on China for batteries as the main reasons. EV sales have largely dropped for most automakers through 2024 amid cooling demand.

In a bold statement at the Paris Motor Show, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse urged European regulators to reconsider their plan to ban new fossil fuel-emitting cars by 2035. He argued that maintaining the ban could deepen Europe's reliance on China's battery supply chain and hinder the region's technological competitiveness.