© Mack Hogan
Yesterday, Audi said it's stopping development on internal-combustion engines. BMW isn't.
Audi CEO Marcus Duesman told Automobilwoche that Audi will no longer substantially develop internal-combustion engines. It will continue to update its current lineup of engines, allowing them to meet tightening emissions rules, but the company has no plans to develop new internal-combustion engines. This follows similar announcements from other companies promising an all-electric future. One name not on that list: BMW.
According to CNBC's Phil LeBeau, BMW isn't calling quits on internal combustion any time soon. His tweet cited BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, who says that BMW predicts robust demand for internal-combustion cars for years to come.
That doesn't mean BMW isn't also pursuing electrification. Just yesterday the company released its 530-hp i4 electric sedan. But the company isn't going all-in quite yet, suggesting it doesn't see a full EV takeover in the immediate future. The company's current lineup is heavier on plug-in hybrids than full EVs, but the majority of its sales are still standard internal-combustion cars. Mild hybrid tech is making its way into the internal-combustion cars, too, but the company's flagship products are powered by raucous inline-sixes, powerful V-8s, and even a surviving V-12. Eventually they'll all go away, but this news suggests there's at least one more generation of internal-combustion BMWs on the horizon.