Mini’s Oxford Factory Delays Electric Models Indefinitely

Production of electric vehicles at Mini’s Oxford factory in the UK has been postponed indefinitely due to a decline in global electric vehicle sales. The electric Mini Cooper and Aceman, currently manufactured in China, were expected to start production at the Oxford facility next year, but those plans are now on hold.

The decision to postpone was confirmed to Autocar by Mini’s parent company, BMW Group. The German company had previously announced that all production of the electric Mini Cooper and Mini Aceman models for sale outside China would move to Oxford by 2026.

More than £600 million has already been spent preparing the factory for electric car production, as well as a nearby factory in Swindon.

In 2024, sales of electric vehicles in Europe stalled, and their market share decreased slightly from 15.7% in 2023 to 15.4%, according to data from JATO Dynamics.

Mini Oxford employs approximately 4,000 people and produces cars for markets worldwide, including the UK. It currently manufactures petrol-powered versions of the new Cooper and plans to transition to 100% electric vehicle production by 2030.

Previously announced plans for the factory targeted production of up to 200,000 cars of both types annually between 2026 and 2030.

Next-generation electric Mini models could get rear-wheel drive

The next-generation electric Mini models could switch from the usual front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive due to the adoption of a new platform from the BMW Group.

The new Gen6 800V architecture, developed by Mini’s parent company, represents a groundbreaking advancement over the technology used in current-generation electric vehicles (EVs). This innovation will substantially increase range and charging speeds while effectively reducing manufacturing costs.

The current Cooper and Aceman are front-wheel drive but use an architecture developed in partnership with China’s Great Wall Motor.

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