MINI has confirmed its commitment to both electromobility and strengthening its market position in China, as part of a broader outlook of where the marque is heading in the immediate future as part of marking its 20th anniversary.
Electrified cars gain traction
With the MINI Electric already on sale, the British company owned by BMW has already made steps in the right direction regarding zero-emissions vehicles. Bernd Körber, head of MINI, said: "MINI was always the answer to very special challenges relating to individual mobility. And the willingness to reinvent the status quo continues to shape the brand to this day. Alongside electromobility, harnessing new target groups and sales markets will be crucially important for the future of MINI."
MINI has produced and sold more than 4,000,000 vehicles since 2001, with a profusion of new model variants - such as the Clubman and Countryman - driving sales ever forward. Around 40 per cent of MINI's sales worldwide are accounted for by these two models alone, while sporty and extreme John Cooper Works cars account for another five per cent.
Electrified models are gaining in popularity, though, and not just the MINI Electric - vehicles like the S E ALL4 plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are gaining traction. These PHEVs already had five per cent of MINI's global sales in 2019 but, with the Electric now fully on stream, that share has doubled to ten per cent of the marque's new registrations this year.
China EV production from 2023
Körber said that in the future, every MINI model will have an electrified version, but that the marque would continue with 'highly efficient' petrol and diesel engines for the foreseeable, adding: "We are pursuing the Power of Choice approach followed by the BMW Group through our broad range of advanced petrol and diesel engines, the plug-in hybrid system and all-electric drive, in order to meet the needs and aspirations of our customers throughout the world. This enables us to create the conditions for further growth in global automobile markets." Beyond the overarching electric dreams, MINI will add a smaller crossover to the market to sit below the Countryman, and this vehicle will be supplied exclusively with all-electric drive.
Looking further afield, China represents ten per cent of MINI's annual sales and its take-up of products is expected to grow in the future. Therefore, from 2023, MINI will build a new machine on bespoke vehicle architecture with zero-emissions drivetrains, in a joint venture with Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motor.