Beginning in 2026, MINI will transfer a few of its electrical automotive manufacturing to Oxford. Again in November, BMW Group introduced that manufacturing of two new electrified fashions – MINI Cooper 3-door and MINI Aceman – will begin within the UK in 2026. By 2030 manufacturing quantity might be solely electrical and the BMW Group may have spent over £Three billion on its Swindon, Hams Corridor and Oxford crops since 2000. A brand new rumor means that MINI will add a 3rd all-electric mannequin in Oxford beginning in Spring 2027. The MINI Convertible (J03) is the rumored mannequin.
ICE and EV MINI Convertibles
Thus far, MINI has but to acknowledge a brand new era MINI Convertible with an electrical drivetrain. Thus far we all know that an ICE MINI Cooper Convertible (codename F67) will arrive in 2025 and it’ll mimic the design of the MINI Cooper hardtop (F66). However with the launch of the J01 MINI Cooper SE, it’s believable that an open high electrical MINI will comply with as properly. The previous was unveiled in September bringing a well-recognized, but renewed design language which delivers a stability of nostalgia and innovation.
Minimalistic Design
The brand new MINI electrical takes the method of “much less is extra” in design, with clean, clear surfaces and up to date lighting that created a modern and dynamic profile. Gone have been the facet scuttles, changed by flush door handles that seamlessly built-in into the automotive’s minimalist design. The fender flares had vanished, giving the Cooper SE a cleaner and extra aerodynamic silhouette, with a drag coefficient lowered to a formidable 0.28.
Inside, the inside was additionally revamped, and if the MINI Convertible SE involves market, it’ll definitely take the same method with the identical minimalist ethos. The centerpiece of the inside is undoubtedly the round OLED display, measuring 9.four inches in diameter. This progressive show served because the hub for an all-new infotainment system, operating on the MINI Working System 9.
Shared Drivetrains
After all, powertrains are sometimes, if not at all times shared throughout the lineup. Underneath the hood, the 2024 MINI Cooper E is powered by an electrical motor that generated 184 horsepower and an instantaneous torque of 290 Newton meters. For these in search of much more powered, there’s the Cooper SE variant, delivering 218 horsepower and 330 Newton meters of torque. The Cooper E boasts a 40.7-kWh battery, providing a most vary of 190 miles within the WLTP check cycle. Stepping as much as the Cooper SE meant upgrading to a 54.2-kWh battery pack, which prolonged the vary to 250 miles.
If manufacturing is ready to start in 2027, we count on to see the primary check mules of the J03 MINI Convertible generally in 2024. In the meanwhile, first drives of the J01 hardtop are scheduled subsequent yr as properly.