The European Union’s planned ban on the sale of new combustion-engine cars from 2035 continues to divide opinion among enthusiasts and industry stakeholders alike.
This time it’s Mercedes’ chief executive, Ola Källenius (pictured above), who has criticized the Commission’s plan in unequivocal terms, warning of the risk of a sector-wide collapse if the proposal becomes reality:
We need to base our decisions on reality, otherwise we are heading at full speed into a wall.
Technology neutrality first
Källenius—who currently also serves as president of ACEA, the association of Europe’s leading carmakers—stressed that the industry’s shared goal of decarbonization must be pursued with technology neutrality.
“We must not lose sight of our economy,” he argued. Rather than imposing a blanket stop on combustion engines, he said the right path is to accelerate EV adoption through tax incentives and ensure low, transparent prices at public charging stations.
Otherwise, he warned, most Europeans could simply wait until the end of 2034 and then buy petrol or diesel cars en masse—a scenario that would bring little real environmental benefit while shocking the market.
More Than 30 New Models Incoming
In parallel, Mercedes is preparing an ambitious product offensive. Over 30 new vehicles are slated to reach the market by the end of 2027, which Källenius described as “the biggest new-model launch program in the brand’s history.”
A pivotal debut will be the new GLC, set to be unveiled in early September at the Munich Motor Show. “The electric version of our best-seller will feature bold design, cutting-edge technologies, our MB.OS operating system, and truly exciting performance,” the CEO promised.
