Yes, America will bring the new electric Mini. but not yet. The Mini Countryman Electric will be first to market, and the introduction of the Mini battery-electric car and Aceman battery-electric crossover is planned to be announced in the fourth quarter of this year.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The next two years are big for MINI. The BMW Group brand is expanding its portfolio to become more relevant than ever. It is the culmination of a multi-pronged strategy that engages the global market and seriously elevates MINI’s Cooper, Aceman and Countryman lineup.
The automaker plans to sell a mix of internal combustion engine-powered and battery-electric vehicles worldwide. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and related electric vehicle parts sourcing rules, what Wurst calls “protectionist topics,” adds complexity to the mini business case in the US.
It was long expected that Mini would build a plant in Mexico to make cars for the US. Industry watchers were planning for the plant to come online in the latter part of the decade. That plan could be reworked as a result of the IRA and related rulemaking, increasing the cost of adopting electric vehicles for buyers of models made outside the US.
Mini Countryman Electric parked in New York. Small
“We have to work with that, with very low volumes for the mini, but in reality, a very steep growth curve. There are different strategies to implement. And we haven’t revealed everything yet And told what we are going to do. But we are well aware of the fact that we have to work differently than BMW and cover the world differently,” explained Wurst. newsweek,
“Whatever is suitable for America is not suitable for China and the other way around… It’s no secret how the world works for us at the moment.”
To reach carbon neutral status, the company is going beyond the tailpipe and looking toward circularity as a means to achieve climate responsibility goals. The new Cooper isn’t just home to sustainably produced materials. Overall it is a more durable vehicle.
“In a few years, you’ll have to break less things if you want to break a Mini Cooper. [because it has less components] , [There are] A lot of the things that have already gone into the design process will make the product more reusable in the future, because we’re using less material and different materials that aren’t so rare,” Wurst said.
Mini Countryman Electric parked in New York. Small
He gave examples of how Mini is recycling and using reclaimed aluminum, integrating knitted materials into models, and using batteries that contain no rare earth metals.
Wurst sees the Mini as having a solid place in the future as part of a strategy to reduce carbon emissions in cities. Taking a page from existing regulations in Europe and Asia, American cities have begun adopting rules and fees around low-emission zones.
“The brand really aligns with some of the smart city initiatives happening globally,” Wurst said. “There is also a movement toward thinking about the future of cities and design and how the automobile can be incorporated with multimodal forms of transportation.
“We also have to think about maybe cities in Europe that will ban a specific type or size of vehicle at a time. And I think Mini can play a big role here. And I think we really need to “I would be open to once again having visionary thinking within the BMW Group because I think Mini can be an important component for being successful in urban areas in the future.”
Source: www.bing.com
