Hashem, FouadGauf, Philipp2025-08-132025-08-132025-01-152024-12-17http://hdl.handle.net/10362/186374The EU’s 2035 ban on new ICE vehicles forces Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz to shift R&D toward electrification, stabilize material supply, expand charging infrastructure, and meet evolving consumer expectations. Through interviews, policy analyses, and industry reports, this study reveals policy-driven innovation, financial pressures, and competition shaping their strategies. Volkswagen scales platform efficiency, BMW maintains flexible propulsion, and Mercedes-Benz leverages premium branding and software-defined features. Despite financial and operational hurdles, opportunities emerge through battery innovations, circular economies, and partnerships with suppliers and energy providers. The ICE ban catalyzes structural change, encouraging synergistic mandates, incentives, and engagement to secure sustainable, competitive leadership.engInternal combustion engine banStrategic adaptationR&DRegulatory influenceAutomotive market dynamicsComparative case studyGermany and Norwaymaster thesis203961080