Two years ago, Akio Toyoda, the head of Toyota Motor, voiced doubts about transitioning to solely manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs). Toyoda also hinted that the majority of people employed in the auto industry agree with him.

Recently, BMW’s CEO, Oliver Zipse, contends that Europe’s outlawing the internal combustion engines (ICE) beginning in 2035 is impractical and might lead to greater dependence on Chinese batteries.

BMW wants Europe to relax its plan to ban new petrol and diesel-powered cars from 2035 onward, in an effort to reduce the region’s reliance on batteries from China. While many automakers have fully embraced electrification, BMW is opting for a more diversified strategy.

In addition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), the company is investing in alternative technologies such as e-fuels and hydrogen fuel cells, betting that the future of mobility won’t be driven by batteries alone.

At the this month’s Paris Auto Show, BMW’s CEO, Oliver Zipse, made it clear that Europe needs a new regulatory approach, one that leverages its own strengths in technology and doesn’t hinge so heavily on battery imports.

“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 said according to Auto News. “To maintain the successful course, a strictly technology-agnostic path within the policy framework is essential.”

Zipse’s use of the term agnostic suggests that an increasing number of individuals recognize that the “climate crisis” and anti-carbon-dioxide policies are motivated not by scientific evidence, but by a kind of quasi-religious zeal. There are multiple news reports that are documenting the rise and eventual collapse of the electric vehicles, including the numerous problems EV owners experience, along with recent plunge in sales in the U.S. and Europe.

Although electric vehicle (EV) sales have been declining, a number of studies have emerged that provide valuable insights into the comparison of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between EVs and internal combustion engines (ICEs). One such study is from the Manhattan Institute compares the lifetime greenhouse gas emissions of EVs and internal combustion engines (ICEs) by analyzing numerous parameters and data points.

People should be able to choose the products they want to buy, but those choices should be based on complete information, including how a major purchase, like an electric car or truck, would affect their life. Such a decision should not be made by government force.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay