The shift towards electric vehicles is gaining momentum and many manufacturers are looking to the future and introducing electric vehicles (EVs) to the mass market. While electric vehicles aren’t as common in South Africa as in other parts of the world, things are changing steadily… Here are the major electric vehicles introductions that you can expect to see in South Africa in 2021.
Volvo XC40 Recharge – August 2021
Volvo aims to be a fully electric vehicle manufacturer by 2030 and the XC40 Recharge is the Swedish brand’s first all-electric vehicle to come to South Africa. The XC40 P8 Recharge is powered by 2 electric motors producing 304 kW and 660 Nm of torque. Acceleration from zero to 100 kph takes just 4.9 seconds with an electric range of 418 km. Orders for the XC40 Recharge opened in May 2021 and the first customer deliveries are expected in August 2021. The XC40 Recharge is priced at R1 200 000.
BMW iX3 – Q4 2021
BMW’s iX3 was revealed last year and it’s expected to go on sale globally towards the end of 2021 with a South African introduction due in Q4 2021. The iX3 shares its styling with the locally-produced X3 SUV.
Interestingly, the iX3 – which will be built at the BMW/Brilliance Automotive joint venture plant in Shenyang, China – is not all-wheel-driven. Its 5th-generation eDrive power unit consists of a 210 kW/400 Nm electric motor, which is mated with an 80-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and powers the executive SUV’s rear wheels. BMW says that the iX3 will dash from zero to 100 kph in 6.8 seconds with a limited top speed of 180 kph. BMW claims an optimal range of 460 km from a full-cycle charge on the WLTP standard. Pricing will be confirmed closer to its local arrival.
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