Mini's plan to Electrify

Mini's plan to Electrify

       The all-electric Mini Cooper SE was launched in 2020. Since then, Mini has unveiled their plan to fully electrify the brand by 2030, starting with the 2025 Mini Countryman SE. Production on the all-new Countryman is to start in July of 2024. Along with adding an electric power train option, Mini has updated two of their production plants to help further the push to an all-electric line up. Minis will have an electric power train option alongside internal combustion engines. This is exactly what BMW, the parent company of Mini, is doing with its models. BMW offers an electric version of the 4 series, 5 series, and 7 series. It makes sense that Mini also adopts this strategy, it gives prospective buyers a new electric option but with a familiar package. 

New cars, New factories 

    The manufacturing plants in Oxford, England and Leipzig, Germany are undergoing major changes. These manufacturing plants are being upgraded and redesigned to accommodate producing electric Minis and BMWs. Mini’s fully electric future will start with, among other things, the new Mini Countryman at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig. This will be the first time that a Mini model is produced entirely in Germany. 

      The Mini Oxford Plant has been the spiritual home of the brand since new Mini production started in 2001. One of the most interesting aspects of Oxford’s current production line-up is the fact that the plant produces both ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and electric Minis side by side. This clearly foretells the future of the brand as Mini looks to aggressively move to become an all-electric brand. Mini’s plans are to expand production of the next generation J01 electric Mini Cooper and J02 Mini Aceman to the Oxford Plant in 2027 which will require additional investment and reconfiguration. 

       

The Acemam

     

       Like BMW with the iX, Mini plans to produce an electric only model. The Aceman is an all-electric concept car, many details like pricing, range, and options have yet to be revealed. The car is a totally new, ground up design from Mini and features sustainable materials and a minimalistic pop art design language. One of the more interesting features of the Aceman is its ability to use projection mapping to change the interior ”vibe.” 


       Using several projectors, the aceman uses ”mood settings” to project distinct color designs on the dashboard. Mini also says, using the mini companion app, you can upload your own images to project on the dashboard and door panels. This makes the car's interior completely customizable, at least as far as being able to project whatever you want. 

  The Countryman

      With an additional 2.5 inches in height and 5 inches in length, the new MINI Countryman has grown noticeably compared to its predecessor. Mini describes its design philosophy as “charismatically Simplistic” and “expressive minimalism with character.”                                    

 (New Mini Countryman SE on the right)
       Starting at $39,895, the S All4 comes with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that produces 241 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This is essentially the same setup that comes standard in the BMW X1 with which the Countryman shares its platform. Mini has not yet divulged whether there will be a front-wheel-drive version or if there will be a lower-powered non-S variant of the Countryman, as was the case with the outgoing model. The S All4 looks identical to the electric and JCW Countryman models inside and out, as they all share angular new exterior styling and a thoroughly modernized interior with a 9.4-inch circular touchscreen and cloth trim on the dashboard. Colors include white, silver, black, a light green called Smokey Green, and of course, the classic Chili Red.  
 
(Mini Countryman S ALL4)
 

     

 (Mini Countryman JCW ALL4)

       The S All4 and JCW versions of the Countryman will be the first to arrive in the U.S., as they are estimated to start reaching dealerships in spring 2024. The electric Countryman SE All4 will follow them in a few months and is set to arrive in the fall. 

 

 (Mini Countryman SE)

The Cooper

(Mini Cooper SE)

       While we know there is a new all-electric Mini Cooper coming, the first 4th generation (F66-chassis) Coopers for sale will be powered by a conventional turbo engine. This is great news for enthusiasts, who might have worried that Mini was dropping their internal-combustion Coopers entirely for 2025. Instead, the Cooper lives on in Cooper C and Cooper S forms, sharing a redesign with the all-electric model and ensuring go-kart-like handling and Mini design continue to be available without plugs. No exact price on options has been announced, but the starting price for the Cooper C is $29,945. While the sportier S starts at $33,195.

  

 As for the EV version, the Cooper Electric will be offered in two strengths: E and SE. With the entry-level version getting a 181-hp electric motor and the upgraded model getting juiced to 215 horsepower. Both are front-wheel drive, and it is not clear yet whether the U.S. market will get both, or just the more powerful SE. The biggest gripe regarding the current Generation SE Mini is its disappointing driving range, which comes in at a 114 miles per charge. This new version benefits from far larger battery packs. The current Cooper SE that is sold in the U.S. has a 28.9-kWh battery pack, but the latest version gets a 58.4-kWh unit. That should boost the driving range to about 200 miles per charge, which is still less than other EVs such as the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and the Tesla Model 3 but brings the Mini closer to contention. 

 

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