BMW to continue development of combustion engines – report
As BMW pushes ahead with its electric Neue Klasse plan, its CEO says the company will continue to make new petrol and diesel engines.
BMW will forge ahead with developing petrol and diesel engines, CEO Oliver Zipse has confirmed.
The BMW Group boss told media the German car maker had no plans to stop developing internal combustion engines, as it was confident customer demand will continue into the future, as noted by CNBC's automotive reporter Phil LeBeau.
Earlier this week, Audi CEO Marcus Duesmann announced the luxury car brand would halt development of new combustion engines going forward.
The comments came at the same time Mr Zipse said the Mini brand, which is a part of BMW Group, would move to a fully-electric model range by early next decade.
Despite its ongoing faith in petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles, BMW Group announced its electric 'Neue Klasse' blueprint for 2025 and beyond.
Translating to 'New Class', the name has been adopted from a range of models BMW produced through the 1960s and 1970s, which are credited as saving the car maker from insolvency and establishing the brand as a leading manufacturer of sports sedans.
"The BMW Group is never satisfied with what it has achieved so far – that's what sets it apart from the rest of the field. This spirit will characterise the Neue Klasse: high tech on four wheels for customers intent on experiencing in just five years time how mobility will feel in 2030," Zipse said.
The company says Neue Klasse will focus on the development of three key areas: automotive software, high-performance electric powertrains, and sustainability across the entire vehicle life cycle.
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