The BMW owned MINI manufacturing plant Oxford, UK has hit a significant milestone by building more than 11,000 MINI Electrics since production began, just before the plant’s annual summer shutdown.
Premiered in July 2019, during the brand’s 60th anniversary year, MINI’s first all-electric model is fully integrated into the production process at Oxford, running down the same line as the combustion engine models.
The MINI Electric is the second electrified MINI in the model line-up, joining the MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid. These two models have proved extremely popular in the UK and together account for 19 per cent of worldwide electrified MINI sales. A quarter of all UK MINI Countryman orders are for the plug-in hybrid version.
David George, Director, MINI UK, said “We’re delighted the MINI Electric is such a success in the UK and that our customers love the car as much as we do. It’s fantastic to see the growing popularity of electrified vehicles – the UK already accounts for nearly a fifth of global MINI Electric and MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid sales and we know that demand is increasing.”
The high level of flexibility at Plant Oxford means MINI Electric production can be adjusted according to global demand. The growth in popularity of electric vehicles means that next year, a third of MINI 3-Door Hatch models built at Plant Oxford is expected to be the fully-electric model.
Peter Weber, Managing Director, MINI Plant Oxford, said: “Everyone at Plant Oxford is immensely proud that our hard work integrating MINI Electric into the production line is paying off, with the car proving so popular with customers in the UK and around the world. As the home of the brand, it gives us huge satisfaction to build the first fully-electric car in the MINI product line-up here in Oxford, for global export.”
The original Mini, designed by Sir Alec Issigonis in 1959, was born out of the Suez crisis oil shortage and the demand for affordable motoring.
The MINI Electric is one of 13 electrified vehicles the BMW Group currently offers across its brand portfolio. This will be increased to a total of 25 electrified models on the road by the end of 2023, with more than half of those models fully electric. In Europe, the BMW Group expects that electrified vehicles will account for 25 per cent of sales by 2021, a third by 2025 and half by 2030.
MINI electric reaches production milestone
