BMW Group South Africa (BMW SA) has restarted exports following the national lockdown to slow the spread of Covid-19.

The local arm of the German car maker has dispatched almost 2 000 BMW X3 vehicles to European export markets, in response to global demand, with an approximate value of R1.5-billion.

The vehicles were transported to the Port of Durban on more than 230 truckloads, as well as by the rail network. 

BMW SA resumed operations at its Rosslyn plant, in Tshwane, in one shift, on May 18 after national lockdown restrictions were eased.

The Rosslyn plant, which has a maximum capacity of 76 000 units a year, has since initiated a second shift. 

A number of measures have been put in place to protect returning staff, says BMW SA, including mandatory daily screening, the supply of four masks a day, as well as the appointment of dedicated Covid-19 compliance officers and health services personnel.

The iX3
BMW says it is progressing well with the rollout of the fully electric version of the X3, the iX3, which will be available by the end of this year in selected markets. 

Current planning is for the BMW iX3 to be launched in South Africa towards the end of 2021.

“Standard production of the BMW core brand’s first pure electric model will get underway at the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture (BBA) in China in late summer as planned,” says the car marker.

“BBA Plant Dadong will produce the first sports activity vehicle with a pure electric drive train for the global market. The first of these electric vehicles will be delivered to customers by the end of the year.

“The testing required for homologation of the new BMW iX3 has now been successfully completed and the results submitted to the regulatory authorities in key automotive markets.”

BMW says it is the first time the company has completed the entire homologation process for a fully electric model in China and Europe at the same time.

The BMW iX3 is based on the BMW X3, which is the brand’s first model available with both conventional petrol and diesel engines, a plug-in hybrid system or a pure electric drive train.

The BMW iX3 comes with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, including a drive unit with the electric engine, power electronics and transmission integrated into a central housing. 

“This significantly reduces the installation space and mass of the drive technology relative to output, and offers added flexibility for installing new electric powertrain components in different vehicle derivatives,” says the company.

“A further highlight is the electric motor, which no longer requires the use of rare earths and ensures the BMW Group is not dependent on their availability.”

With a range of around 440 km in the test cycle (preliminary data), BMW says the iX3 paves the way for BMW eDrive technology, which will also be used in BMW i4 and BMW iNEXT models from 2021 onward.