While many car manufacturers are going all-in on electrification and planning to stop development of new internal combustion engines, BMW has revealed that it is working on a new generation of petrol and diesel six- and eight-cylinder engines.
BMW development director Frank Weber made the revelation while speaking with Auto Motor und Sport, stating that the car manufacturer will need “state-of-the-art combustion engines for a few years to effectively reduce CO2 emissions in the passenger car sector globally.”
“That’s why we’re working on a new generation of engines: petrol, diesel, six-cylinder, eight-cylinder,” he added. “With the six-cylinder engine alone, we are reducing CO2 emissions more massively than has been the case with a generation change. In order to reconcile emissions requirements on the one hand and performance requirements on the other, we looked at the entire charge cycle and found a promising approach there.”
Read Also: BMW Won’t Bring Battery Cell Manufacture In-House Amid Tech Uncertainty
Weber added that the new generation of engines will have “something completely new in the cylinder head” and believes that “the overall reduce in CO2 is crucial in the fight against climate change,” regardless of whether it is achieved through the use of more advanced engines or electric powertrains.
During the interview, Weber also revealed that the automaker will not force its customers to choose between combustion and electric vehicles, stating the company’s “aim is to always offer the most sustainable and innovative vehicles, regardless of the type of drive.”
While BMW continues to invest in internal combustion engines, Audi is taking a different approach. Last year, the company confirmed that it would introduce its last newly-developed ICE model in 2026 and by 2033, eliminate combustion engines from its line-up entirely.
