Mini reveals its 3-door electric concept

Words: Shubham Choukse

Mini, the renowned automaker from England, famous for literally it’s ‘Mini’ cars has revealed an all-electric model concept that will make its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Motor show 2017 and will be launched in 2019.

BMW, which now owns the Mini brand, has announced that they are working on a new flexible vehicle architecture which will enable electrification of every model series, which will probably also underpin the Mini electric concept. BMW has confirmed that the all-electric Mini will be a variant of the 3-door model and the electric powertrain for the new model will be built at Dingolfing and Landshut Plants in Bavaria, Germany while the car will be assembled at the Plant Oxford in England. No technical details about the chassis, powertrain or the equipment on-offer have been revealed by BMW.

The concept portrays Mini’s future design philosophy while also retaining most of the signature Mini design elements. It features a closed radiator grille, circular LED headlamps, 3-D printed 19-inch wheels, LED dot matrix tail lamps, air vents all-around and a distinctive grey paint with yellow highlights.

“The Mini Electric Concept is a quintessential Mini – compact, agile, simply the ideal companion for everyday driving. At the same time, it conveys a whole new take on the concept of sportiness,” explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President, BMW Group Design. “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.”

The this is not the first time that Mini has showcased an all-electric concept, in 2008 Mini launched the Mini E, an all-electric model based on that generation’s 3-door model. Only 500 units were produced and it was used only for field trials. It was a part of the BMW project-i which later resulted in the development of the BMW i3 electric car.