It is no secret that BMW Group has been working on a number of electric cars under its dedicated brand BMW i. There were rumours that the Mini brand under the group is also set to add an EV model soon.
Clearing the doubts, BMW Group has now confirmed the development of a new three-door Mini model fully driven by electric powertrain. The first fully electric car of the British marque will go into production in 2019. The electric drivetrain for the upcoming model will be built at the group's e-mobility centre at Plants Dingolfing and Landshut in Bavaria before being integrated into the car at Plant Oxford, which is the main production location for the Mini 3 door model, company said in a statement.
Mini boss Peter Schwartzenberg had already hinted at the arrival of an EV model earlier this year. He brought up a Superhero idea some time back and it's a fancy name for the strategy to trim down Mini line-up of cars to five core models. The four Superhero models are Mini Cooper, Cooper Convertible, Clubman and Countryman and the final model is the upcoming electric car.
The specific details of the electric Mini are not available at the moment. It needs to be noted that Mini showcased the Superleggera Vision concept at the 2014 Paris Motor Show which is electrically driven. There was no development of the project afterwards and hence it may turn model as the EV member in the Superhero strategy.
Reports also suggest the possibility of the Rocketman concept with an electric powertrain. The Rocketman concept was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show 2011. The project never got a green light due to developmental problems. With renewed interest for small cars around the world, the Rocketman concept may revive as an EV in the Mini family.
