BMW says piston-powered new cars will be around for decades

"The shift to electrification is overhyped," said one of its top execs.

BMW is confident that the internal combustion engine still has many years ahead of it. While changes are coming, the company's chief technical officer (CTO) expects gasoline- and diesel-powered cars will be around for at least several decades, and his team will make investments accordingly.

"Our best assumption of 30% electrified sales by 2025 means that at least 80% of our vehicles will have an internal combustion engine," BMW's Klaus Froelich pointed out during a media roundtable attended by Automotive News Europe.

He added several factors will influence how fast electric cars gain market share. The list includes the charging infrastructure, and government regulations enforced to encourage buyers to make the switch to cleaner cars. In the United States, Froelich sees electric cars as merging into the mainstream on the coasts, not in the heartland.

"The shift to electrification is overhyped. Battery-electric vehicles cost more in terms of raw materials for batteries. This will continue and could eventually worsen as demand for these raw materials increases," he added.

While piston-powered BMWs will stick around in the foreseeable future, the company needs to make changes in order to adapt to looming regulations. The 1.5-liter turbodiesel engine it sells on the European market will notably be phased out because making it compliant with upcoming emissions rules is too expensive. The quad-turbocharged, 400-horsepower straight-six also offered in Europe won't be replaced. Looking ahead, BMW's engines won't have more than three turbos.

Froelich re-affirmed that the V12's days are numbered. It's likely in its last generation, because BMW spends "several thousand euros per unit" to make it compliant with changing norms each year. However, Froelich wants to keep V8s in the company's portfolio, even if it means electrifying them.