BMW Commits $750 Million for Electric MINI Production in UK

BMW Group is investing $750 million in its UK-based Mini plant, preparing for the brand’s transition to exclusively electric vehicles by 2030.

• BMW Group’s $750 million investment targets UK’s Oxford plant for electric MINI production.

• MINI aims to cease gasoline car sales by 2030, with the last gas model launching in 2025.

• Two new electric MINI models, Cooper 3-door and Aceman, are set for production post-investment.

BMW Group has pledged a significant investment of around $750 million in its Mini sub-brand facility located in the UK. This financial boost aims to modernize the Oxford plant, aligning with the brand’s goal of becoming entirely electric in the forthcoming decade.

Previously in 2021, MINI had revealed its ambitious target to phase out gasoline cars by 2030. However, the substantial shift towards electric vehicles is slated to gain momentum from 2025, marking the release of MINI’s final gasoline model.

As the brand journeys towards electrification, it has unveiled a few new models to captivate its loyal fanbase. Notably, a limited-edition convertible iteration of the Cooper SE has been rolled out this year. Additionally, in 2022, MINI showcased a concept named the Aceman, hinting at the brand’s first venture into the all-electric crossover segment.

Post this significant investment from its parent company, BMW Group, the production of both the Aceman and an all-electric MINI Cooper 3-door is slated to occur at the existing UK site.

Delving deeper into the specifics of the investment, BMW Group’s allocation of nearly $752 million for MINI’s UK operations will primarily facilitate the production of these two new electric models starting in 2026. By the dawn of 2030, the brand envisions its production to be entirely electric. Since the year 2000, BMW Group’s investments in its Swindon, Hams Hall, and Oxford facilities in the UK will have surpassed £3 billion.

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The Oxford facility, which began producing electric MINIs only in 2019, is gearing up to celebrate its 110th anniversary. Stefanie Wurst, MINI’s head, emphasizes Oxford’s significance to the brand and highlights the global MINI community’s growing affinity for electric vehicles.

In the interim period leading up to 2026, initial assembly of the Cooper 3-door and Aceman models will commence in China. Exports are expected to start in early 2024, and from 2026 onwards, electric MINI models will be produced alongside BMW’s combustion models.