Many carmakers rushed to set cutoff dates for combustion engines, only to backtrack on their lofty electric goals just a few years later. But BMW didn’t break any promises for the simple reason that it never announced an end to gas-powered cars. On several occasions, CEO Oliver Zipse emphasized that the switch to electric shouldn’t be forced and that consumers should have the freedom to choose, citing high EV prices and an underdeveloped charging infrastructure.

 

In a new interview with the German business newspaper Automobilwoche (subscription required), a senior BMW official stated, “The combustion engine is our foundation and will also finance our future business.”