BMW’s 800km range electric car is coming to Africa

September 10, 2025

From the newsletter

German automaker BMW has announced that its latest EV, the iX3, will be introduced in South Africa in 2026 following its global unveiling last week. It has a maximal range of 800 km, the longest of any electric car in Africa, a major leap from the 460 km range provided by the existing iX3. The new model is built with vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-home, and vehicle-to-grid technology.  

  • Longer range EVs like the iX3 will be a game-changer in Africa, where charging infrastructure is limited, helping to reduce range anxiety. 

  • Global EV companies are in a tight race to introduce a variety of models in Africa to cater to different market segments. South Africa remains the leading destination owing to its position as the continent’s biggest auto market. 

More details

  • BMW says the top-of-the-range model will support a range of up to 805km on a single charge of its 108.7 kWh battery. DC charging speeds have also been upgraded from 150 kW in the current iX3 to 400 kW, enabling charging from 10% to 80% in 21 minutes. It has been equipped with technology and a large battery to power appliances when camping, provide backup electricity to the home, and sell electricity back to the grid.

  • The new iX3 will roll out in South Africa in the third quarter of 2026, just a few months after its global debut. It is unclear whether BMW will eventually produce the new iX3 in South Africa. This comes even as local EV manufacturers are set to receive a 150% tax rebate on new energy vehicle equipment investments from next year.

  • The iX3 will have the longest range of any electric car in Africa when it comes in 2026. It will beat the 782 km range offered by the Mercedes EQS 450+, which currently holds the top spot. BMW however still has other models that have impressive ranges, including the iX xDrive50, which can go for 630 km on a single charge and the i7 xDrive60, which has a maximum range of 625 km. To complete the German swoop, the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4Matic+ has a range of 586 km, while the Porsche Taycan GTS can go up to 504 km.  

  • Nearly a dozen new EV brands have been announced for South Africa, with some set to enter later this year and others in 2026. Audi Q6 and A6 e-tron, Leapmotor C10, and Chery’s iCaur are just some of the EVs that are set for the market, which is Africa’s largest and most lucrative. Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, is also planning to introduce three fully electric vehicles in early 2026, and will be the brand’s first battery-electric models in South Africa. 

  • This trend extends across Africa, where global EV firms are engaged in a fierce battle to gain market share. Egypt is Africa’s second largest EV market, and Chinese companies like BYD, Xpeng, Nio and Dongfeng have launched an assault on previously dominant German firms in the markets. Other key markets like Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia have also received significant interest from global EV firms, especially Chinese and Indian companies. 

  • The entry of many players and a wider range of new models has seen the introduction of cheaper electric cars, which is improving affordability. At the same time, the technical aspects of the vehicles such as range, battery capacity and technology are being improved quickly. This has led to increased diversity where nearly each customer segment will likely in the near future be able to get an electric car that they need at a reasonable price. 

Our take

  • The BMW iX3's new 800 km range is a direct challenge to the previous leader, the Mercedes EQS. This signals the start of an intense technological competition, especially in the premium segment, where automakers will increasingly compete on maximum driving range, faster charging speeds, and advanced features. 

  • While German luxury brands are setting high-end benchmarks, the influx of numerous other brands, particularly from China like Chery, BYD, and Leapmotor and the entry of giants like Toyota, will rapidly diversify the market. This will lead to a surge in more affordable, practical EVs. 

  • South Africa's new 150% tax rebate for investments in EV production equipment, which commences next year, is a significant catalyst. This incentive will likely pressure global automakers like BMW to consider local manufacturing.