CAR magazine: Oxford to build new Mini Electric from 2023

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MichaelC

MichaelC

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Article here: https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/electric/mini/

"The new-generation Mini Electric will be built in the UK after all, CAR magazine can exclusively reveal. An announcement is imminent, with BMW executives believed to be meeting this week to rubber-stamp the decision."
<snip>
"...a source told CAR that with Mini’s volume target rising from 293,000 to 500,000 annual sales by 2030, and with Mini pledging to be all-electric by the end of that year, it would need more electric factories.

Other plants in the BMW network were invited to make a case for investment, and Plant Oxford made the winning argument."

It wouldn't surprise me if the implications of the Inflation Reduction Act helped Plant Oxford's argument.

This article also claims an electric convertible will go into production in 2025 and a production version of the Urbanaut will eventually replace the Clubman.
 
MichaelC said:
It wouldn't surprise me if the implications of the Inflation Reduction Act helped Plant Oxford's argument.
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As much as the loss of the $7500 tax credit hurt those of us awaiting their order, it certainly does seem to be having its intended effect of spurring investment in US (and North American/favored nation) EV manufacturing, and more rapidly than I would have (naively?) expected.
 
However a source told CAR that with Mini’s volume target rising from 293,000 to 500,000 annual sales by 2030, and with Mini pledging to be all-electric by the end of that year, it would need more electric factories.

Other plants in the BMW network were invited to make a case for investment, and Plant Oxford made the winning argument.
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Sounds like production in Oxford would be in addition to production in China, then?

I guess I'm still skeptical this will happen in the short timeframe CAR magazine is saying (2023, vs ~2027 in previous rumors) if what's driving this decision is 2030 sales targets.
 
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fishbert said:
Sounds like production in Oxford would be in addition to production in China, then?
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Yes. This article frames the move as a way to ramp up production of electric cars more quickly than previously planned.

I'm not an automotive executive, so I can't say if the reasons given are true or tell the whole story. A near doubling of sales targets in 7 years seems like reasonable cover for accelerating the plans for Plant Oxford, even if that isn't the only reason. But targeting this year does seem a little more aggressive than expected.
 
Darn, I enjoyed calling the Cowley SE the "Oxford SE" and the Chinese SE the "Zangjiagang SE."
 
Standard 6% import duty in Canada and I doubt the rebate will vanish although the amount might lower. Once the ordering is open I’ll likely get a new SE and we will replace the current SE with an Aceman in 26
 
That’s a good plan. I’ll likely keep mine til 2027 (when it’s paid off), but the '18 Crosstrek has been payment-free since early 2020 and while my wife always wants to “drive a car til the wheels fall off,” she’s aware that cars are getting more expensive to keep running after the warranty. We won’t be looking at anything bigger than the Subaru, so perhaps the Aceman (which I’m guessing will be R60-ish in overall size) will fit the bill.
 
MichaelC said:
Yes. This article frames the move as a way to ramp up production of electric cars more quickly than previously planned.

I'm not an automotive executive, so I can't say if the reasons given are true or tell the whole story. A near doubling of sales targets in 7 years seems like reasonable cover for accelerating the plans for Plant Oxford, even if that isn't the only reason. But targeting this year does seem a little more aggressive than expected.
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Doubling after 7 years is a classic 10%/year increase that executives plug into forecasts with out resorting to data analysis.
 
fishbert said:
MotoringFile published an article earlier today that contradicts what CAR Magazine reported.
https://www.motoringfile.com/2023/0...-the-us-but-something-big-electric-is-coming/

When asked specifically about the CAR Magazine report, Gabe at MF said it was basically the same as MF's earlier reporting about the next-gen electric Cooper returning to Oxford around 2027, adding "We’re hearing it will take several years before production is on-line."
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Two days ago, MotoringFile's Instagram post (that links to the reporting you referred to) said, "The electric MINI Cooper SE is dead in the US at the end of 2023...".

But after the CAR Magazine report came out, MotoringFile's next Instagram post said, "Could the all new J01 electric MINI Cooper make it to the US market after all?..."

So who knows whether that means they're starting to hear something new as well.

Either way, according to CAR Magazine, an announcement should be coming soon ⏤ guess we'll know one way or another if it's around 2027 or sooner... hopefully sooner.
 
bucoshi said:
So who knows whether that means they're starting to hear something new as well.
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Perhaps the news outlets are just creating "churn" by flip-flopping back and forth for more reader impressions. Or it's possible MINI (BMW) is rethinking their strategy in light of the IRA passage and the incentives from the UK government. It seems like we're ramping up for a few years of major shifts in the car industry.
 
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expanded in London area so it's £12.50 a day ($15/USD) if the vehicle is above 1g/km of CO (also THC and NOx requirements).

To put that in perspective, the Cooper S hatchback level 1 is about 125g/km, so an Oxford MINI electric could provide an affordable solution!
 
teslarati97 said:
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expanded in London area so it's £12.50 a day ($15/USD) if the vehicle is above 1g/km of CO (also THC and NOx requirements).

To put that in perspective, the Cooper S hatchback level 1 is about 125g/km, so an Oxford MINI electric could provide an affordable solution!
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Petrol is Euro 4 and higher. Diesel
Is Euro 6 for Nox and PM within the ULEZ It’s primarily aimed at older diesels. I’m sure it will be expanded to everything within the M25 one day Vs the about 75% now. It’s created some issues with classic cars… yes anything before 1980 can apply for a historical tax class but there are a bunch of 80s and 90s stuff that is rarely driven but subject to the tax. Before you could get the weekend as an exemption but the ULEZ operates everyday day 24/7 except for Xmas day. EVs are still exempt from congestion charge in the inner circular
 
bucoshi said:
But after the CAR Magazine report came out, MotoringFile's next Instagram post said, "Could the all new J01 electric MINI Cooper make it to the US market after all?..."
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That IG post is promoting the article I linked above which contradicts CAR Magazine’s reporting.
 
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