We can at least count on one exotic automaker that won't be making the switch to battery-powered cars anytime soon, ever. It is not ruling out the possibility of hybrid propulsion for the future, though. Maserati boss Harald Wester told Autocar at the Shanghai Auto Show that he believes EVs to be "nonsense" and that government regulatory bodies should instead be taking a more realistic viewpoint in regards to measuring emissions before setting new regulation standards.

Nobody talks about the efficiency of how the battery is charged," said Wester. "It varies strongly from region to region, depending on how energy is produced, nuclear, coal and so on, but even the best is not ahead of the internal combustion engine." However, he does admit that Maserati may at some point be forced to develop a hybrid powertrain for some models due to stricter future emissions laws, particularly in the US. Diesel- and natural gas-powered cars, in Wester's esteem, are better answers than hybrids when it comes to reducing C02 emissions.

Wester added and he's still hoping for governments to set C02 targets "instead of imposing technology" on automakers. But his bottom line is that regulators need to be more honest when calculating emissions and that EVs are simply not the long-term solution. Fortunately, we haven't heard anything in regards to any sort of Maserati hybrid in the near future. Amen for that.