BMW iX3 crowned World Car of the Year 2026 as EVs lead the way
The BMW iX3 has been named World Car of the Year 2026, with the announcement made at the New York International Auto Show on 1 April.
- Industry News
- 2 April 2026
Volkswagen has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Rwanda to establish a modern farm with electric tractors.
The MoU was signed by Dr Ildephonse Musafiri, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Serge Kamuhinda, CEO of Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda, and Martina Biene, Chairperson and Managing Director of Volkswagen South Africa, in the presence of Imelda Labbé, member of the Brand Board of Management of Volkswagen for Marketing, Sales and After-sales.
As part of the MoU, the Government of Rwanda has agreed to provide land in Gashora (Bugesera District) for the project, as well as to assist with permitting and licensing requirements of the project.
The objective of the GenFarm Project in Rwanda is to make a positive, sustainable socio-economic and environmental impact on the community by creating a carbon neutral business ecosystem.
The GenFarm Project is a holistic ecosystem of e-powered mechanised farming service for rural areas in Africa that is reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. The excess energy used to charge the electric tractors will provide power for post-harvest handling and storage.
The pilot project in Rwanda is steered by Volkswagen Group Innovation in partnership with Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda.
“The signing of the MoU with the Government of Rwanda marks yet another milestone for Volkswagen’s sustainable mobility lighthouse projects in Rwanda. Our long-term plan is to build up demand for electric batteries in Africa by introducing locally relevant business solutions.
“The future of mobility in Africa will also be determined by the storage and distribution of green energy. With the GenFarm, we hope to address the mobility needs of customers with high transformational impact on the African economy,” says Martina.
While rising fuel prices often trigger spikes in interest around electric vehicles, Volvo Car South Africa believes the real reasons South Africans are starting to consider EVs go far beyond the petrol pump.
MG has opened a new engineering centre in Frankfurt as part of its “in Europe, for Europe” approach. The facility will focus on developing vehicles suited to European conditions, including climate, roads and driving habits. It will work alongside existing teams in the United Kingdom (UK) and London design hub.
Europe’s used electric vehicle (EV) market is experiencing a notable surge as the Iran conflict drives up global oil prices and pushes petrol costs sharply higher across the continent.