Engineering News editor Terence Creamer talks about South Africa's significant existing automotive manufacturing capability; the need for policies and incentives to be put in place to support the production of new energy vehicles; the views of government and the automotive original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) regarding a support framework for battery electric vehicle (BEV) production; and the challenges OEMs face in convincing their overseas parent companies that South Africa remains an attractive investment destination despite loadshedding and logistics problems.