Today the production of the new fifth generation Mini Cooper started at the iconic Cowley factory in Oxford. The factory was once used to produce the Rover 75 and other models from that era as well as the ‘new’ Mini which started in May 2001. Since then models of the Mini have been produced for domestic and international markets and starting on 11th March, the new 2024 firth generation Mini Cooper started production.
For now, only the petrol model will be produced in the UK, with plans to start production of the new electric model in 2026, once a £600m renovation project has been finished. After 2030, the Mini brand will be EV only.
For the previous generation, Mini had been producing both the combustion and electric models in Cowley side-by-side, but due to the much more advanced design of the new EV Mini, this would not have been feasible. With the outgoing model, the company made an electric motor that would fit in the same space as the ICE engine and the battery was where the fuel tank is, however, this resulted in less range.
With the fifth generation model, it is a ground up EV and is currently being made in China at a factory in Zhangjiagang and is in collaboration with Great Wall Motor (GWM)
Engines for Mini are made at Hams Hall, Warwickshire and BMW Mini do the final assembly at Cowley, including interior, paint, body shell production and more.
The ICE Mini Cooper starts at £23,135 and the EV model from £30,000.
Source: BMW
