BMW Exec Touts Diesel Benefits

Diesel engines will play a significant role in BMW AG’s powertrain strategy for the foreseeable future.

Pointing to carbon dioxide and performance benefits, BMW development chief Klaus Froehlich says he’s “very optimistic” about the near-term future of diesels. He claims BMW’s latest generation of the engines are best-in-class in terms of emissions.

BMW will continue to offer a range of 4- and 6-cylinder diesels but not as many power variants, Froelich told Australian journalists at this month’s Paris auto show. Instead of three levels of 3.0-liter turbochargers (single, twin and quad), for example, the company may offer only one type of turbocharger with two power levels.

Diesels can be particularly useful in heavy, high-performing cars. But Froelich concedes that such engines might not make sense for low-volume models such as the carmaker’s M50d performance crossover vehicle.

Froehlich says BMW is moving forward with plans to launch several new electrified vehicles, including the iNext crossover in 2021. But he says projections that 30% of the carmaker’s lineup will be plug-in hybrids or pure electric vehicles by 2030 are “very optimistic.”

Even at that level, half of the electrified vehicles likely would be hybrids, Forehlich says. That would mean that 85% of BMW would still use combustion engines. BMW’s future platforms are designed to support internal combustion, plug-in hybrid and full electric powertrains, Froehlich says.