German automaker BMW has unveiled the basic design of its upcoming electric version of the next Mini car.
BMW says that the MINI Electric Concept “brings the iconic design, city-dwelling heritage and customary go-kart feeling of the MINI brand into the electric mobility age.”
BMW announced in July that it would begin producing the next-generation electric Mini at its Cowley plant in Oxford, England in 2019 – the company’s Crowley plant employs approximately 4,500 people.
The electric Mini, which BMW says will sport “a powerful electric motor”, is scheduled to be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt motor in September.
The company said that the electric Mini concept car offers “a window into how pure-electric day-to-day mobility might look in the years ahead.”
Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, stressed that the MINI Electric Concept is “a quintessential MINI – compact, agile, simply the ideal companion for everyday driving.”
He added: “Indeed, aerodynamics and lightweight design aren’t just important in the world of motor sport; they are also essential factors for maximising electric range. The car’s surfaces have a sense of precision and contemporary clarity about them that lends added impact to the car’s efficient character. Plus, striking accents and vivid contrasts give the exterior that distinctive MINI twist.”
Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, commented:
“The systematic electrification of the brand and product portfolio is a mainstay of the BMW Group’s NUMBER ONE > NEXT strategy. The MINI Electric Concept offers a thrilling preview of the all-electric production vehicle. MINI and electrification make a perfect match,”
By 2025 BMW expects electric vehicles to account for between 15-25% of total sales.
