MINI has released a pair of exclusive detail design sketches as an initial preview of its first fully-electric model. The company had first showcased the MINI E pilot project exactly ten years ago and the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid model went on sale in 2017. The MINI with battery-electric drivetrain then, represents the next stage in the electrification of the MINI. The initial design sketches will be revealed during the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
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Electric MINI wheels have been carried over from the MINI Electric Concept
The sketches show the car's grille. Its hexagonal form is a signature MINI design element, but the closed-off interpretation is all new. Behind the grille, cooling elements are conspicuous by their absence - which means the grille can stay closed and therefore improve airflow. A yellow accent bar with an E badge in the same colour identifies this as an electric MINI. The second sketch shows the striking wheel design of the fully-electric MINI, which has been carried over from the MINI Electric Concept into the production model. The wheels take the motif of the accent bar on the grille and add their own asymmetrical twist.
Mini Electric Concept was showcased last year
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Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design said, "MINI is an urban brand and the fully-electric MINI the logical next step into the future. These initial sketches for the fully electrified MINI outline our vision of authentic design creating a bridge between the history of the brand and its electric future."
The first volume-produced MINI with a battery-electric drivetrain will hit the roads in 2019 - exactly 60 years after the classic Mini went on sale. Based on the MINI 3 door, the electric model will roll off the assembly line at Plant Oxford. Its drivetrain will be produced at the Dingolfing and Landshut plants.
