eMobility in the automotive industry: When will the final switch to electromobility take place?

eMobility has long since left its niche status in the automotive industry behind. Politicians see it too: In 2035, the last new car with a combustion engine is to be sold in the EU. The major car brands are reacting to this goal and are now making a conscious decision to completely switch to electrically powered vehicles.

The electrification plans of selected automobile manufacturers at a glance: 

Fully electric by 2030 

• Smart shows itself to be a pioneer: Already more than one year ago, the last combustion car came off the assembly line — since 2020, Smart has relied entirely on electric motors.  
• Jaguar promises to only produced eCars from 2025. In addition, Jaguar Land Rover is looking beyond production and is already investing in battery recycling. 
• For 2027, Alfa Romeo is also announcing the final switch. In 2023, an SUV will be launched as the first fully electric Alfa Romeo. 
• Fiat has set itself the goal of having a fully electric product portfolio by 2025, or by 2030 at the latest. Until then, the manufacturer is counting on falling battery costs in order to remain at the price level of the diesel or petrol-powered counterparts. 
• By 2028, Lotus also wants to be free of combustion engines. All models that follow the latest “Emira” model will be fully electric: among them are said to be SUVs for the first time. 
• Step by step, Bentley would also like to achieve electrification. So far, the “Bentayga”, an SUV, is the manufacturer’s only hybrid model. However, the first all-electric SUV has been announced for 2025. In the long term, people want to finally say goodbye to the pure combustion engine. From 2026, only cars with hybrid drive will be produced and from 2030 onward, only electrified models will come off the Bentley assembly lines.

Combustion phase-out from 2030 

However, numerous manufacturers do not plan to make a full turnaround until 2030 or later:  

• Mini wants to be an exclusive eMobility manufacturer by 2030. So far, the brand has had one hybrid and one electric model. 
• Volvo has long been considered a pioneer in eMobility. The plan is being pursued consistently: from 2030, only models with fully electric drives will be produced.  
• For 2033, Audi is pursuing the same goal. However, already by 2025, more than 20 new e-models are to be presented. 
• Similarly, Volkswagen has set a time frame from 2033 to 2035 for the full switch to electric motors. But already as of 2026, only e-vehicles are to be developed; in the same year, the fully digital e-limousine “Trinity” is to appear and set standards in terms of range, charging speed and automation.
• And also the largest car company in the USA, General Motors, follows: by 2025, 40 percent of the US model range should consist of battery electric vehicles.  

Location-based eMobility 

The complete switch to electromobility is being driven forward to varying degrees in different regions. Opel is aiming to switch to 100% eMobility on the European market by 2028 and Hyundai by 2035. Ford is also planning to gradually introduce an all-electric repertoire on the European market: By 2026, every new car is to be at least a hybrid, and then an e-car by 2030. 

Globally, however, the complete switchover to eMobility remains a question of location for manufacturers. VW announced that it intends to finally exit the combustion engine business in Europe between 2033 and 2035, and in the USA and China a little later. In other regions, such as South America or Africa, the change will take longer, according to the group, due to political and infrastructural conditions. 

Mercedes makes a similarly non-binding statement: climate neutrality and a fully electric fleet by 2039 “where the market conditions allow” is the declared goal of the manufacturer. 

Switchover with open time frame 

And finally, there are still some car brands that are already considering the electric switch, but have not yet given an exact date. For example, Daimler and Alpine also see their future in eMobility, but have not yet set a time frame for this plan. Similarly, BMW and Peugeot are also keeping an all-electric future open, but are firmly planning a corresponding eCar for each series or model. BMW in particular proclaims ambitions for “the greenest electric car in the world”.  

Conclusion: The future of the automotive industry is electric
 

In summary, it can be seen that large corporations, luxury brands as well as less expensive manufacturers are moving resolutely in the direction of eMobility. For most manufacturers, comprehensive electrification is already present or very foreseeable, only for very few it is still a decade project.

Despite the differing targets regarding the implementation time, however, the industry apparently agrees that a complete turnaround from the combustion engine to the electric drive is indispensable in order to act sustainably as a manufacturer and to remain fit for the future.