The debate regarding what defines an iconic model or a famous brand is still pretty heated these days. That’s because of the advancement of electric vehicles and the perceived beginning of the end for internal combustion mills. With more and more emphasis being put on cutting CO2 emissions, companies like MINI have to migrate to a different setup. That wouldn’t be enforced without a demand from customers, too and that is starting to grow right now, as more EVs are being brought out.
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MINI has just announced that its first ever fully electric car is now available for orders and that the first batches will be delivered in March 2020. The new MINI Cooper SE is an interesting car, considering how small and compact it is and how much power it has on tap.
However, according to numerous rumors floating around in recent years, BMW has big plans for its British sub-brand. Namely, the Germans have been pondering for quite some time the possibility of turning it into an electric brand altogether.
“Surely that doesn’t include the John Cooper Works models, right?” you might rightfully ask yourself. Well, you might be surprised by the answer. In a recent interview with Motor Authority, MINI USA VP Mike Peyton said the John Cooper Works models don’t really have to be powered by engines. They could just as well use electricity to get your adrenaline shots. According to him customers “appreciate the handling aspect of the product, the aesthetics of the product.” He also added that the JCW badge isn’t necessarily to be used exclusively on cars powered by gas and oil.
According to Peyton, the John Cooper Works products are defined by their performance and we shouldn’t be surprised if we’re going to see big changes done to them. While that seems like a path all performance cars are going to drive on one day, I’m still not really prepared to get used to it. I agree that electric vehicles are fun but for me, personally, a big part of what made a MINI JCW so fun and enticing was that popcorn sound you’d get every time you stepped on the gas pedal.
[Source: Motor Authority]
Risky decision, as far as sales go this might put off 95% of all potential customers. Even in developed countries the electric charging infrastructure is laughable. Also the initial price will increase massively. This renders the Mini Ev to a city car and at least in most European Cities public transport isn’t too bad. Putting down 32.000€ just to not use the subway/train is quite a statement.
It’s an inevitable change, China is rescuing Smart Car by turning it into an EV.
BMW has big plans for its British sub-brand, that’s built in the Netherlands, and has zero UK content, design input or anything else for that matter, except for a perpetuated false image of Britishness.
Ha! You just described the entire post-British Leyland national industry, when management & labour conspired to lose the peace post-War, aren’t tiny Morgan the last British brand? & they use BMW engines. This century is post-Colonial, as India now owns JLR (BMW provide engines for them, also). BMW have been rescuing the British industry from the time Bristol received their engineering as war reparations, more recently they revived MINI, Rolls, Rover & powered multi-million £ McLaren F1. Actual employment was British, as was I believe original designer, not that any of that matters with Boris Brexit. BMW are global, manufacturing on multiple continents, MINI wouldn’t exist without them. If you want a false image of Brutishness, watch Downton Abbey.
its better this way…dont want anything touched by the british …it will break down
What Brexit anniversary is it?
no cars needs it in reality …but do we want it ? hell yeah
Don’t they need it legislatively? Still hoping electric will lead to MINI building Superleggera Roadster Concept while returning to smaller platform…
I am talking about the ICE that we dont need …but still love and adore but yeah I love the entire BEV concept too but then they must just give my silent car a nice soundtrack ! my hot hatch must sound like a v10 =D
Ah! Yes, the times they are a-charging (with apologies to Bob Dylan).