BMW will not build electric Minis in Oxford – for now
The BMW Group announced in 2023 that it would build two new all-electric Mini models in Oxford from 2026 and exclusively electric models from 2030. These were to be the three-door electric Mini Cooper and the compact Mini Aceman crossover. The combustion-powered versions of the new Cooper generation, which were unveiled at the IAA 2023, have already been in production in Oxford since last year.
“However, given the multiple uncertainties facing the automotive industry, the BMW Group is currently reviewing the timing for reintroducing battery-electric Mini production in Oxford”, the manufacturer explains. Preparatory work at the plant to prepare it for EV production has been suspended, while other modernisation measures (such as those relating to plant logistics) will continue. Moreover, BMW has decided not to accept a corresponding grant of 60 million pounds from the government, but remains “in close dialogue about our future plans,” the carmaker told the BBC.
That means that the electric Mini Cooper, available as the Cooper E, Cooper SE and John Cooper Works Electric, will initially only be built in China and exported to Europe. The current Cooper generation was already developed as an electric and combustion model in cooperation with the Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall and was initially only manufactured by the latter. Following BMW’s latest decision, only the combustion engine versions will be produced in Europe. The Aceman is the first purely electric Mini model series. It was presented in China in 2024. It is also based on the partnership with Great Wall.
When it announced in 2023 that it would move production to Oxford, BMW said it would invest 600 million pounds (around 700 million euros at the exchange rate at the time) in the plant’s modernisation. How much of this was earmarked for electric car production and how much for further modernisation measures was not broken down exactly. However, the aforementioned British government subsidy was linked to the production of electric cars – and will thus no longer be claimed by Mini.
This is a further setback for the British government. With such subsidies, London actually wanted to expand the promising production of electric cars in the country. At the same time, however, the government has also adopted strict sales targets for electric cars, the so-called ‘Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate.’ Car manufacturers argue that these sales targets are too ambitious and that they cannot sell the required number of electric cars without corresponding government support measures. When Stellantis announced the closure of the Luton van plant, citing the ZEV mandate, consultations were scheduled with the industry to revise the scheme.
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