The BMW i brand has been in South Africa for a little over two years now. So, just how many vehicles has it sold in that time?
Well, a total of 419 BMW i models have been delivered to customers in South Africa since the sub-brand’s market launch in March 2015.
Interestingly, the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sportscar (216 units) has outsold the BMW i3 (203 units) locally. In addition, the i8 range is set to expand with a handful of new limited-edition derivatives later this year, with the open-top i8 Roadster scheduled to arrive in 2018.
The local arm of the Munich-based brand doesn’t count its hybrid iPerformance models – the X5 xDrive40e, 740e iPerformance and the 330e iPerformance – in the total figure.
“In a market where electric vehicles are still a fairly new concept, we are pleased with the strides we have made with the BMW i brand,” said Tim Abbott, CEO of BMW Group South Africa.
“However, sustainable mobility thrives wherever there is an effective combination of three factors: customer demand, legislation and innovative partnerships.
“While we have made inroads and formed alliances as well as partnerships that have helped propel the BMW i [brand] mobility strategy forward, we need more commitment from government in order to increase consumer confidence in electric vehicles because this is the future of mobility,” added Abbott.
