BMW CEO Oliver Zipse reportedly argues that the growth of hydrogen-powered vehicles should be prioritized in the automotive sector rather than totally eliminating the internal combustion engine, according to Carscoops.
Zipse remarked that lawmakers should be receptive to all new technologies and not just concentrate on electric vehicles when speaking at the recent Innovation Day conference in Erlangen, Germany. “We think it’s wrong to switch off the combustion engine in Europe,” Zipse said. “The industry will look different in terms of scale and structure than it does today if it goes to just one technology.”
He also believes that if the industry reduces CO2 emissions by 5% per year, there would be “massive positive climate effects,” and that one way to do this is through hydrogen technology.
It is worth noting that BMW is still dedicated to developing internal combustion engines, hybrids, electric, and fuel cell vehicles, although many of its competitors are already focusing on electric vehicle uptake.
Additionally, Zipse pointed to the fact that many nations lag on electric charging networks as one justification for BMW’s multifaceted strategy.
“[Hydrogen is] the only raw material that can be sustainably produced and stored,” Zipse said.
As reported by WirtschaftsWoche, Zipse pointed out that, unlike electric vehicles, hydrogen is more practical because gas stations can be changed to hydrogen in just two days. On the other hand, electric vehicles necessitate the construction of expensive new infrastructure.
“The way there is relatively short, unlike with electromobility, where you need connections to the medium-voltage grid and you need a charging infrastructure for every car,” he added. “That’s a lot of work. That will work, but not as the only solution. This is going to take far too long. That’s why we firmly believe in hydrogen. It will come and it will come at BMW, I am very, very sure of that.”
