Today, MINI is offering us their own spy photos of the next generation MINI electric hatch. A fully camouflaged MINI was presented to the press revealing the proportions of the next MINI. The proportions are important this time around since sources say that the MINI hatch lineup will allegedly be split in two. On one side we could see a MINI hatch powered by combustion engines. Those models will be larger in size than their electric counterparts. The next MINI electric hatch is rumored to be slightly smaller than the petrol-powered models and will be produced by BMW and Great Wall Motors in China. It’s also likely that the MINI electric hatch will be built on a separate platform than the petrol-powered models.

All other MINI hatch models will continue to be manufactured at the MINI Plant in Oxford, while the next generation MINI Countryman will move its production in 2023 to the BMW Group Plant Leipzig. MINI is assuming that electric vehicles will already make up 50 percent of total global sales of MINI by 2027. In 2025, the last new MINI model powered with a combustion engine will come onto the market. At the beginning of the 2030s, MINI will be an all-electric brand.

Design wise, this new MINI electric hatch seems to stay true to the brand’s design DNA. It retains the typical sporty hatch proportions, but some of the exterior design elements are likely different than what MINI has shown us in these “official spy photos.” We expect a different set of headlights and taillights, along with other design cues typical to an electric car. The spy shots don’t show the interior design, naturally, but the curved screens seen in BMW models are likely to appear as well. We expect other tech updates as well, from the latest infotainment system at BMW Group to advanced driving assistance features.

We don’t currently have any solid information on the electric drivetrain and driving range, but we certainly expect the next generation of BMW batteries to provide more range than the current 110 miles in the MINI Cooper SE.

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We believe that the UKL platform will eventually be phased out, along with the “Power of Choice”, so future MINIs, just like BMW models, will use an electric-first architecture. Furthermore, some MINI electric cars will be manufactured with the Chinese partner Great Wall. The new MINI electric cabrio is just another step towards an all-electric future of the British marquee. The brand has already announced their plans to become fully electric in 2030.

By 2027, MINI is expecting to see fully electric vehicles account for more than 50 percent of its sales and, if the sales of the MINI Cooper SE model are anything to go by, that target will be easily achieved. The move to an all-electric line-up makes sense for MINI, which will now be able to return to its ‘urban conqueror’ status that made it famous in the first place.

The next all-electric MINI will be the MINI GP in 2022. Furthermore, MINI also confirmed that the next generation of the midsize Countryman crossover will be available with a fully electric model in 2023. The Countryman will be built in Leipzig starting with 2023 and will most likely share its platform with the upcoming BMW X1 and BMW iX1 models.

[Source: AmS]

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MINI is currently on a quest to launch electric performance cars in various different forms and it’s starting with its best. The upcoming MINI Electric GP is still under development but its existence has officially been confirmed by the British brand and we couldn’t be more excited about it.

“With the MINI Electric, we’ve shown how well brand-typical driving enjoyment and electric mobility can be combined,” says Bernd Körber, Head of the MINI brand. “Now it’s time to translate the passion for performance of the John Cooper Works brand to electromobility. That’s why we’re working to develop concepts for electric John Cooper Works models.”

It might sound a bit hypocritical to complain about the standard GP’s lack of manual transmission but then praise the idea of an electric version, with no transmission, but hear us out. MINIs are actually the perfect cars for electric powertrains, as their short wheelbases and nippy handling beautifully compliment the instant torque of electric motors. So even though an electric powertrain won’t have a high-revving engine or a manual transmission, its instantaneous forward thrust should actually make it more fun than the standard GP’s ho-hum four-cylinder engine and eight-speed slushbox.

The best part of the MINI Electric GP is that the rest of the car will remain. So it will still feature the JCW GP’s fantastic suspension and steering, as well as it’s incredibly looking aerodynamics. So the electric version will handle every bit as well as the gasoline version but it will have more instant acceleration. Plus, imagine hearing the whine of the electric motor, along with all of the raw sounds from the road into the spartan cabin? It will sound like a Formula E car from the inside.

While MINI will continue to develop internal combustion performance cars, the brand is going to emphasize performance EVs in the future. “With this new focus on electric performance, we’re also creating the opportunity to sharpen the distinctive profile of the John Cooper Works brand more than ever before.” Körber continued.

Obviously, we’re a long ways away from driving the MINI Electric GP but we’re cautiously optimistic about its chances of being great. It has all of the right ingredients to make an exciting electric hot hatch.

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The idea behind the car is simple: take a MINI Cooper SE, with its 181 horsepower, front-mounted electric motor, add some power and fit it with all of the same chassis, suspension aero bits from the MINI JCW GP, thus creating a MINI Electric GP. As far as specs; range, power and performance; we don’t have any. However, according to our extremely reliable source, this car is happening, is green-lit and is currently under development.

There are still some questions about power and range that we’re eagerly awaiting answers to, however. For instance, is it going to have enough power to actually necessitate GP suspension and chassis upgrades? The MINI Cooper SE is a fun car but it has nowhere near enough power to warrant such a capable setup.

One thing is certain though: The MINI JCW GP electric will spend some time on the track also. Whether being part of some official racing, or simply a weekend track warrior, the hot electric hatch is unlikely to disappoint. With ‘GP’ branding and equipment, you’d expect the new electric hot-hatch to be capable of lapping a track quite well but track duty rapidly depletes battery life. So it’s going to need some more juice if it wants to be a proper GP.

Thankfully, with a chassis and suspension as capable as the GP’s, it could likely handle the added weight of a bigger battery pack without issue. With testing under way, we expect the MINI GP electric to arrive sometimes in late 2021.

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At the moment, MINI is currently working on creating the aforementioned combination of the MINI Cooper SE and the JCW GP, two cars that on their own have immense potential but fall a bit short of greatness. Coming together, however, might just create the best FrankenMINI we never thought of.

The idea behind the car is simple: take a MINI Cooper SE, with its 181 horsepower, front-mounted electric motor, add some power and fit it with all of the same chassis, suspension aero bits from the MINI JCW GP, thus creating a MINI Electric GP.

As far as specs; range, power and performance; we don’t have any. However, according to our extremely reliable source, this car is happening, is green-lit and is currently under development. There are still some questions about power and range that we’re eagerly awaiting answers to, however. For instance, is it going to have enough power to actually necessitate GP suspension and chassis upgrades? The MINI Cooper SE is a fun car but it has nowhere near enough power to warrant such a capable setup.

Also, will it pack more range than the Cooper SE? That car barely cracks 100 miles on a single charge. With ‘GP’ branding and equipment, you’d expect the new electric hot-hatch to be capable of lapping a track quite well but track duty rapidly depletes battery life. So it’s going to need some more juice if it wants to be a proper GP. Thankfully, with a chassis and suspension as capable as the GP’s, it could likely handle the added weight of a bigger battery pack without issue.

We can’t wait to learn more about the MINI Electric GP. The idea of an electric hot-hatch from MINI is a great one and has the potential to be an absolutely brilliant car, if done properly. You’ll get more details as we do.

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As for the MINI Electric, we already know what sets it apart from the rest of the range. It’s right there in the name and it speaks about its character and potential. This is also the first ever official, mass-made fully electric car from MINI.

What is rather obvious from the pictures below though, is that the MINI Electric feels right at home in the heart of Vegas.

That “heart” would be The Strip, one of the most famous boulevards in the world. The neon-soaked asphalt and the people living, working or simply walking on the strip are used to hearing that specific hum electricity makes whenever present in spades, so the sound the MINI Electric made was probably not even noticed. The city’s most famous boulevard is almost seven kilometers long and charts its course from north to south.

Lines of hotels with a sonorous names like “Venetian”, “Mirage”, “Flamingo”, “Caesars Palace”, “Bellagio”, “MGM Grand”, “New York, New York” or “Luxor” lead the way to the equally famous welcome sign with the immortal words “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” to offer yet another photo opportunity. And there are plenty of photo opportunities in the desert city as you’re about to see, courtesy of the photo gallery below.

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It like look like your average MINI Cooper but underneath its skin lies and entirely different powertrain from what you’ll find in any of the brand’s other products. Essentially, what MINI’s done is take a standard Cooper 2-Door, rip out its internal combustion guts and stuck in a BMW i3 powertrain, only the latter is backwards.

While the i3 is rear-motor, rear-wheel drive, the MINI Electric is front-motor, front-wheel drive. It also has a different battery pack, as the i3’s wouldn’t fit. Powering that front electric motor is a 32.6 kWh battery pack, that helps give the little Cooper SE 181 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. Its total range is about 110 miles, as per the EPA.

So what’s it like on track? Well, like most front-wheel drive electric cars, it suffers from a lot of understeer. That’s not really a problem, considering the fact that the little MINI Electric is a city car and not a track car.

However, what is surprising is just how often it limits power, or cuts it altogether, during heavy throttle applications. That isn’t all that encouraging, considering that MINIs are designed to be fun. So it’s a bit disappointing that it limits that its power if you matte the go-pedal.

Still, the rest of the electric MINI seems quite good. Once full power is utilized, it’s quite quick and it still feels nimble and fun. With stickier tires, it’d be even more fun, at the expensive of fuel-efficiency. As it stands from the factory, though, the MINI Electric seems to be a fun little electric hatchback that can still put that classic MINI smile on your face.

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