BMW has made a bold declaration about its powertrain strategy: “ICE and combustion will never disappear. Never.”
The details: Jochen Goller, member of the board of management of BMW AG for customer, brands, and sales, made the statement—highlighting the company’s forward-looking product roadmap, anchored in three distinct platforms.
One platform is the Neue Klasse, BMW’s new EV architecture, which launched earlier this month with the iX3 replacement.
A second is a combustion-only platform designed for entry-level models with broad global appeal.
The third is a versatile, multi-energy platform for larger SUVs and sedans that can accommodate both battery packs and combustion engines.
Why it matters: BMW's approach acknowledges that EV adoption varies dramatically by geography—something most automakers ignored when setting aggressive electric timelines. But the automaker’s three-platform system will let dealers match inventory to actual local demand.
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Between the lines: Goller’s firm stance marks a notable pivot from just a few years ago, when BMW—like many automakers—was heavily emphasizing EVs.
In 2022, BMW announced a $1.7 billion investment in its U.S. EV operations in South Carolina, including $1 billion for electric vehicle production and $700 million for a new battery facility.
About a year ago, the automaker committed €650 million (roughly $766 million) to its Munich plant to convert it into an all-electric production site by the end of 2027.
Looking ahead: BMW’s stance on keeping combustion engines isn’t an outlier but part of a broader industry recalibration. By 2030, BMW expects EVs to make up half its annual sales. But internal combustion engines will remain in production beyond that, despite the EU’s firm stance on ending new gas car sales by 2035.
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