BMW says it has no plans at the moment to manufacture electric vehicles (EVs) in SA, but adds: "Never say never." Oliver Zipse, chair of BMW SA, told Business Times this week the government had "disincentives" in place for EVs, and the local market for such vehicles would also need to be stronger before the company considered EV production locally. The department of trade & industry launched its Electric Vehicle Industry Roadmap in 2013 but to date very little progress has been made. X marks the spot Zipse says the decision to manufacture the X3 sport utility vehicle at BMW's plant in Rosslyn, Gauteng, has proven to have been the right one. He describes it as "mission accomplished", adding: "We would do it again." He says the switch from producing the 3 Series sedan to the SUV has been good for export credits as the X3 is a more expensive model. Asked about the possibility of manufacturing the electric version of the X3, the iX3, he says: "If the day comes that 50% of all X3s are el...
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