Mercedes Exec Slams EVs in Favor of Fuel Cells

The big fad these days is to ban internal combustion engines. Governments do this, the “right” people applaud enthusiastically, and everyone goes on their merry way believing a utopia is right around the corner. India is the latest country to join this ill-thought fad, and automakers aren’t too happy about it. The most vocal critic is Mercedes-Benz, a real force in the market there. This comes via an Economic Times report.

The German automaker, along with other foreign and even domestic companies, pointed out that the electrical system in India can’t sustain that many electric vehicles. Instead, Rolland Folger, managing director and chief executive for Mercedes-Benz India, said the future is fuel cells.

Folger argues that the government mandates place a false dynamic upon the market, forcing automakers to pursue one technology over another. Sure, EV fanboys and others argue electrification is necessary because of pollution and global warming. What they fail to understand is how market economics work. While you need some government regulation, too much can actually stifle innovation. Don’t believe me? Just check out the lovely cars made in Russia during its communist days.

Back to Folger, he says that by 2040, people in India will be driving hydrogen-powered cars anyway. The government wants to ban internal combustion engines by 2030. That’s a 10-year gap that could only be filled by pure EVs, or maybe fuel cell cars, if the tech is ready by then.

This is a complex issue, and I applaud Folger and others for speaking out. The last thing we need is a group-think scenario where everyone just blindly agrees with the need to switch to EVs, no matter if they make sense or not.