Pure-electric MINI E confirmed for 2019
Pure-electric hatch to be based on three-door, will scavenge its running gear from BMW i3 but offer 400km rangeMINI has announced a pure-electric version of its three-door Cooper hatchback will be on sale by 2019.
The British car-maker first showed an electric car concept all the way back in 2009. It's not known what exactly delayed the small battery-powered hatch's arrival, but it's thought parent company BMW needed to buy time to let its little i3 establish itself in the market, and for battery tech to advance.
To be built alongside the rest of the conventional petrol and diesel-powered hatchbacks at the car-maker's Oxfordshire plant in the UK, MINI has confirmed the electric hatch will source its powertrain from Germany from the same factories that currently makes the guts for the i3.
Thanks to next-generation battery technology, the pure-electric MINI is likely to come with a range of at least 400km.
Back in 2009, the well-received MINI E concept could only achieve just over half that, with a maximum official range of 240km.
The previous concept saw the small hatch come powered by a 25kWh lithium-ion battery that fed a single front-mounted 150kW/220Nm electric motor.
Top speed was a modest 153km/h, but MINI was serious about the E's production potential, even going as far as producing 40 cars for public testing that saw the prototypes cover as much as 415,000km in the hands of real-world drivers.
Following the pure-electric MINI's arrival, BMW will offer an all-electric X3 SUV that's tipped to share its pure-electric hardware. That car has been confirmed for a launch in 2020.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
