Electrifying design details. MINI shows exclusive design sketches of the first fully-electric MINI – to be presented in 2019.

Munich. MINI has released a pair of exclusive detail design sketches as an initial preview of the first fully-electric model from the history-rich British brand. Following on from the MINI E pilot project exactly ten years ago and the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid model on sale in certain markets since 2017, the first fully-electric MINI represents the next stage in the electrification of the MINI brand and therefore reflects the BMW Group’s NUMBER ONE > NEXT strategy. 

“MINI is an urban brand and the fully-electric MINI the logical next step into the future,” says Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design. “These initial sketches outline our vision of authentic design creating a bridge between the history of the brand and its electric future.”

Combining the past and the future.
The sketches show the car’s grille. Its hexagonal form is a signature MINI design element, but the closed-off interpretation is all new. Behind the grille, cooling elements are conspicuous by their absence – which means the grille can stay closed and therefore improve airflow. A yellow accent bar with an E badge in the same colour produces a powerful contrasting effect and identifies this as an electric MINI. The second sketch shows the striking wheel design of the fully-electric MINI, which has been carried over from the MINI Electric Concept – unveiled for the first time last year – into the production model. The wheels take the motif of the accent bar on the radiator grille and add their own asymmetrical twist.

The BMW Group has already announced the development of a purely electrically driven MINI series vehicle. The first of these large-scale produced MINIs with battery-electric drivetrains will be available from 2019 – exactly 60 years after the launch of the classic Mini.

This model ensures electro-mobility is a MINI-typical experience of driving fun, style and individuality. The electric drivetrain will be built at the BMW Group’s e-mobility centre at Plants Dingolfing and Landshut in Bavaria before being integrated into the car at Plant Oxford, which is the main production location for the MINI 3 door model.