2024 MINI Electric: Prices, specs and release date

• New MINI Electric three-door is a Chinese-built next-generation MINI EV
• MINI Electric expected to have an EV range of up to 250 miles
• Prices will start at over £30,000 when the MINI Electric goes on sale in 2024

The new MINI Electric is due in 2024: the first in a series of next-generation MINI models heralding an exciting future for the famous British brand.

Unlike many other new models, the new 2024 MINI Electric three-door won’t be built at the historic Oxford factory, but in China instead. Here in the UK, the spiritual home of MINI will assemble the petrol-powered new MINI three-door, MINI five-door and MINI Convertible.

A production version of the MINI Aceman five-door crossover concept will also be built in China. And an even larger new version of the MINI Countryman family SUV will be made in Germany. MINI Electric production will eventually return to Oxford, promises the firm – but not until 2027.

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2024 MINI Electric prices and release date

The new 2024 MINI Electric is expected to be revealed in November 2023, to preview an all-new range of MINIs due for release from summer 2024. With the Chinese factory gearing up to make 160,000 examples of the MINI Electric each year, the firm will be keen to start attracting pre-orders for its new EV.

Today’s MINI Electric costs from £29,000. Although the 2024 car will have larger batteries and more onboard technology, economies of scale and the more efficient Chinese production process should keep prices in check. Inevitably, though, it’s likely to start from over £30,000.

 

2024 MINI Electric styling, interior and technology

The new 2024 MINI Electric is already undergoing extreme weather testing in locations such as the Arctic Circle. These are camouflaged cars, wearing the firm’s distinctive yellow wrap – but it is still possible to make out key aspects of the new MINI Electric’s styling.

The new 2024 MINI Electric three-door will have a longer wheelbase, plus shorter front and rear overhangs to reinforce the ‘wheel at each corner’ effect. It will lose the wraparound clamshell bonnet that’s been a feature of every ‘new MINI’ since 2002, while the windscreen will get a slightly more aerodynamic rake.

However, the car will remain very much a MINI. It’s a design icon, rather like the Porsche 911, so new design boss Oliver Heilmer will not meddle with things too much – despite his determination to stamp his authority on the famous British city car.

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One area the new MINI Electric is expected to evolve from today’s car is a reduced use of polished chrome trim and other add-on detailing. The headlights will no longer be surrounded by chrome, and the wheelarches will lose their black plastic cladding. The aim is to create a simpler, more modern look.

Similarly, the interior will retain the large circular display – but instead of being a speedometer or inset rectangular infotainment screen, the entire display is expected to become a fully-functioning, high-resolution OLED display. It will be complemented by a few simple toggle switches, but again, the level of glitzy chrome and polished trim will be reduced.

Expect more room inside the 2024 MINI Electric than in today’s model. The architecture has been developed from scratch as a pure electric platform, making it much more space-efficient than today’s EV-converted setup. There should be more space for passengers in the rear seats, along with a bigger boot – although the new MINI Electric will not grow too vast, as the electric MINI Aceman crossover will serve those who need more practicality. Expect the car’s overall length to remain less than 3.9 metres.

2024 MINI Electric batteries, performance and fuel economy

The new 2024 MINI Electric is expected to offer a choice of two electric motors, both likely to be branded as Coopers. The MINI Cooper Electric will offer around 184PS, while the MINI Cooper S Electric will increase this to 225PS.

Both versions of the new MINI Electric three-door will have larger batteries than today’s small 32.6kWh item – which gives a maximum range of just 145 miles. The 2024 MINI Cooper Electric is likely to have a 40kWh battery, for a range of around 185 miles, while the MINI Cooper S Electric will have a battery of around 50kWh in capacity, offering a range of up to 250 miles. 

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Performance from the new MINI Electric is expected to be brisk. Today’s car does 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds; it’s likely the new 2024 MINI Cooper Electric will reduce this to less than 7.0 seconds. The 2024 MINI Cooper S Electric may be closer to 6.0 seconds.

MINI may dispense with a conventional gear lever in the new Electric, creating a more open-plan interior feel similar to the minimalist cabin of the original 1959 Mini. Because it is a pure electric car, the lack of a conventional gearbox means the firm is not constrained by needing to make space for a gear shifter, allowing it to be more innovative.

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