Designed for use in urban areas, this concept car offers a look at how pure-electric day-to-day mobility might look in the years ahead. MINI says the car will go into production in 2019.
It also said all electrified products from the brand will be grouped together under the “MINI Electric” banner.
Since the entry of the MINI E nearly 10 years ago, over 600 MINI E cars have been put into service worldwide for the purpose of the field studies. All of them helped to gain insights into the use of pure-electric vehicles, and this knowledge was then used to make the BMW i3. The MINI E also offered driving fun, thanks to outstanding acceleration and handling.
The British premium brand’s first series-production model with a plug-in hybrid drive system was presented in spring 2017 in the shape of the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4. The new model variant enables electric and therefore locally emission-free mobility for the first time.
The all-electric MINI Electric Concept takes the electrification process further.
Identifying features of the electric car include the contrasting silver and yellow colour scheme reminiscent of the earlier MINI E, as well as the E badge. The radiator grille and headlights have been altered to reflect the emission-free drive technology under the bonnet. As the electric drive unit requires little cooling air, the radiator grille is closed for better aerodynamics. A Striking Yellow accent bar in the grille – with an E badge in the same colour – produces a contrasting effect, which is echoed by the styling of the daytime running lights in the all-LED headlight assemblies.
The car flanks have moulded fibreglass add-on parts along the lower edge. A large “E” badge above the front wheel provides another tell-tale sign of the power source. The interplay between matt and high-gloss surfaces within a family of colours serves to highlight the concept car’s lightness and modernity.
The dark-coloured 19-inch wheels have aerodynamic inlays and recessed louvred surfaces in the simulated air intakes were made using a 3D printing process.
The rear is wide to give the car a sporty stance. What's also interesting is that the rear light assemblies each form one half of the Union Jack as an LED dot matrix.
Exhaust pipes have become irrelevant and were removed.
