Internal Combustion Engines: Still Revving Up?
We’ve covered both the rise of electric vehicles, and most recently, the boom in hydrogen-powered vehicles interest. But what about internal combustion engines, the core of what we are accustomed to our vehicles running on? Do these traditional engines stand a chance in the future of the automotive industry? The answer is yes, but for how long will have to be determined by both legislation and industry leaders. Let’s examine some recent action on both sides.
Automotive Industry Leaders on Internal Combustion Engines
If investing by Stellantis tells us anything, it’s that the industry is still interested in these engines. The automotive company, which oversees 14 brands, is spending $6 billion in South America on new engines and vehicles, according to reporting by Motor1. Not only does this mark a significant investment for that particular market, but it shows that Stellantis isn’t backing down from internal combustion engines, particularly flex-fuel engines. Flex-fuel engines cater to the hybrid approach and combine a combustion engine with a battery.
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse has also expressed his stance on internal combustion engines. While speaking at an event in Frankfurt, he stated that BMW doesn’t “want to write off the combustion engine." Instead, “it builds piston- and battery-powered cars on the same basic architecture,” as Ronan Glon at AutoBlog explains. BMW realizes that the over 1.2 billion piston-powered cars in the world aren’t going to just go away. Therefore, the near future once again lies in a hybrid approach. The company has moved its production of combustion engines to Steyr in Austria and Hams Hall in the UK. Meanwhile, its Munich plant will now be solely EV focused with retraining opportunities for its employees.
Legislation and Internal Combustion Engines
While industry players continue to utilize internal combustion engines as they further transition into a hybrid environment, there have been legislative initiatives that may require them to speed up the switch. According to Electrek, Alemu Sime, the Ethiopian Minister for Transport and Logistics, recently made an announcement that “automobiles cannot enter Ethiopia unless they are electric ones.” This decision comes as a response to the nearly $6 billion that it cost the country to import fossil fuels last year.
Less stringent, but in the same realm, the European Union also put forth plans to end the production of internal-combustion cars. Despite pushback from countries such as Germany, the EU is reportedly holding to a ban that would go into effect in 2035. Whether or not this date will change, the bottom line is that internal combustion engines are ingrained in our current automotive culture, and it will take a collective effort on behalf of the industry, governments, and consumers to let go of their hold in favor of more environmentally friendly options.
Sources:
● “Stellantis Spending $6 Billion On New Gasoline Engines That Run On Ethanol” - Adrian Padeanu, Motor1
https://www.motor1.com/news/711474/stellantis-investment-gasoline-ethanol-engines/
● “BMW CEO explains decision to invest in internal-combustion engines” - Ronan Glon, AutoBlog
https://www.autoblog.com/2023/12/17/bmw-ceo-explains-decision-to-invest-in-internal-combustion-engines/
● “BMW no longer builds combustion engines in Germany” - Carla Westerheide, Electrive
https://www.electrive.com/2023/11/13/bmw-no-longer-builds-combustion-engines-in-germany/
● “It begins: Ethiopia set to become first country to ban internal combustion cars” - Jo Borrás, Electrek
https://electrek.co/2024/02/02/it-begins-ethiopia-set-to-become-first-country-to-ban-internal-combustion-cars/
“Europe’s 2035 Ban On Internal-Combustion Engines Is Holding” - Jim Motavalli, Autoweek
https://www.autoweek.com/news/a45697251/europe-2035-ice-ban-holding/