BMW X3 plug-in hybrid SUVs to be manufactured in South Africa from now on
- BMW was one of the first European manufacturer to set up facility in South Africa in the 1960s. The facility is BMW's first outside its home-base in Germany.
German auto giant BMW has decided to manufacture the plug-in hybrid versions of its X3 SUV in South Africa. The carmaker has announced that the production of one of the popular models from its stable will start from 2024. BMW has committed to an investment of 4.2 billion rand, roughly converted to around $225 million, to update its facility located in Rosslyn, near Pretoria, in the Gauteng province of South Africa.
BMW has been manufacturing the X3 SUVs at the Rosslyn facility since 2018. In the past five years, the German carmaker has manufactured around three lakh X3 SUVs, which have been also exported to other African nations like Senegal, Nigeria, Angola, Kenya and Ethiopia. Now, these models will also be exported outside of Africa. The carmaker plans to upgrade the facility to manufacture electric and plug-in hybrid models soon.
BMW has produced over 1.5 million vehicles from Rosslyn facility since it began operations. The facility, which currently has a production capacity of around 75,000 units per year, is known for manufacturing the 3 Series sedan since 1983, and the X3 SUV since 2018. "From 2024, we will produce the BMW X3 in South Africa as a plug-in hybrid and export it all over the world," Milan Nedeljkovic, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW South Africa, said in his statement. "With an investment of 4.2 billion rand (over 200 million euros), the Rosslyn plant will be enabled for electromobility," he added.
Besides the African nations, BMW aims to export the X3 plug-in hybrid SUV to other countries like the United States, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Australia and Canada.
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The X3 SUV is currently BMW's best-selling model in South Africa. It rivals the likes of Audi Q3, Mercedes GLC and Volvo XC60 among other luxury SUVs. BMW offers the third generation X3 SUV with both petrol and diesel engines. The upcoming fourth generation X3 SUV is currently undergoing road tests and is expected to be launched some time next year.