BMW Group is implementing a program called ‘Mini Recharged’ to ‘prepare the future’ of the original Mini models built before the brand’s acquisition by the German automaker, transforming them into fully electric vehicles.
After a unique concept revealed at the 2018 New York Auto Show received very favorable reviews, a team based at the main Mini plant in Oxford, UK, got the green light.
“What the project team is developing retains the character of the classic Mini and enables fans to enjoy electric driving. With Mini Recharged, we are connecting the past with the future of the brand,” says Mini brand director Bernd Körber.
By transitioning to electric vehicles, the classic Minis in this incarnation will be able to drive freely in London without having to pay a congestion charge. Moreover, the electric classic conversion does not require a new registration, according to Mini.
The gasoline engine is removed and replaced with an electric motor of up to 90 kW that can propel the small car to 100 km/h in about 9 seconds. The battery pack (no capacity provided) offers a declared urban range of 160 km, although it only accepts slow AC charging of 6.6 kW.
Each electrified Classic Mini also receives the distinctive central instrument cluster, familiar from the early days of the classic model, now displaying driving temperature, selected gear, range, and speed.
It is also possible to restore the EV Mini to its original state at a later date if desired. During the conversion, the original engine of each vehicle is marked and stored so that it can be reused in case of a future upgrade.
“If Alec Issigonis could redesign the classic Mini today, the iconic small car would have an electric motor,” claims BMW.
“After all, the original launched in 1959 was created during an oil crisis and was based on the idea of saving fuel and transporting four occupants and their luggage in the smallest space possible.
The Mini Recharged project is an opportunity to continue telling the story of the classic Mini in the 21st century, sustainably.”
