Mini brings classic design into the future with all-electric vehicle

Mini Cooper SE
Mini Cooper SE Copyright MINI / BMW AG Alberto_Martinez
By Rosie Frost
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The new Mini Electric could signify an revolutionary change for electric vehicles.

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As of November 2019, BMW will start manufacturing a new, purely electric Mini at its plant in Oxford, UK set to reach customers early next year. Outwardly the MINI Electric will look and feel very similar to its classic counterpart but features a lightweight motor powered by lithium ion cells with a projected range of up to 270 kilometres.

The Mini Electric will be the British brand’s first solely electrically powered model and signals potential change for the company. At the Mini Electric’s world premier, BMW board of management member, Pieter Nota stated: "For us it is clear, emission-free mobility is crucial for a sustainable future."

MINI / BMW AG
Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Customer, Brands, SalesMINI / BMW AGAlberto Martinez

BMW’s chief executive, Harald Krüger, has revealed plans to launch a further 25 electric models by 2023 with at least 13 of these being fully electric. The Mini Electric is already promising to be a success with 40,000 people registering interest on the first day of release alone.

The original Mini was a revolution, ushering in the age of the small car with its unique design so it isn’t perhaps surprising to see the 60 year old company once again attempting to bring change to the industry. With the British government recently amending its grant for electric vehicles to only cover pure electric rather than hybrid, this is a considered move by BMW to reinvigorate the electric vehicle market.

MINI / BMW AG
MINI Cooper SE alongside other BMW Electric VehiclesMINI / BMW AGAlberto Martinez

Electric vehicles make up a growing proportion of the new car market and those that are fully electric may provide future solutions for urban mobility. This launch, then could signal a radical change in the near future that might see more companies like BMW switching over to production of fully electric models.

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