German carmaker BMW is investing R4.2bn in its South African subsidiary to manufacture electric cars.
- Starting from the second half of next year, BMW Group SA will produce plug-in hybrid versions of the X3 SUV alongside petrol and diesel variants.
- BMW’s Rosslyn assembly plant in Tshwane will be the sole BMW facility worldwide to manufacture a hybrid version of the next-generation X3.
- The Rosslyn plant has produced over 300,000 vehicles, mainly for export, and has manufactured nearly 1.6 million vehicles since 1973, with a focus on the 3-Series cars.
- The investment aims to secure the future of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn and support over 20,000 direct and indirect jobs within BMW Group South Africa’s facilities and supply chain.
- Despite challenges such as load-shedding, BMW SA remains optimistic and committed to sustainable production, with plans to increase the plant’s biogas power utilization in the coming years.