Next MINI BEV a Countryman -- but made in Germany or in China?

Texas22Step said:
https://www.bmwblog.com/2021/03/17/...-go-full-electric-countryman-ev-in-the-works/
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The linked article says the new Countryman Electric will be built in Leipzig, but as for other electric MINIs, it says only:

"Furthermore, BMW also announced that a wide range of the MINI electric models planned for future launch will be built in China, in collaboration with local manufacturer, Great Wall Motors, starting with 2023."

Is the smaller MINI Cooper still on the table? If it's new, it will be electric, right? Where will it be built? Will it be sold worldwide or will it be just for China?

What will be coming out of Plant Oxford as the economic realities of building cars in the UK after Brexit become more apparent?
 
GetOffYourGas said:
I really hope Mini doesn't kill the 3-door! Frankly, I'm still hoping for a 2-door convertible EV.
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Due to the heavy battery, MINI had to reinforce the door sills and A-pillars of the SE to protect the occupants from being crushed in a rollover accident. Perhaps with a mandatory roll-bar, a convertible might be possible, but a roll-bar would detract from the care-free convertible experience.
 
If the new Countryman is going to use the BMW iX1 platform it's going to be a lot bigger, I fear. But that opens the door for the Clubman to continue to exist, which to me could be a great model. Slightly longer than the current Hardtop, it not only has more cargo space but could possibly accommodate more battery.
 
insightman said:
Due to the heavy battery, MINI had to reinforce the door sills and A-pillars of the SE to protect the occupants from being crushed in a rollover accident. Perhaps with a mandatory roll-bar, a convertible might be possible, but a roll-bar would detract from the care-free convertible experience.
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I used to drive a Honda S2000. That car didn't have a traditional roll bar, but had reinforced headrests. In the case of a roll-over, the seat itself would protect the driver from being crushed. Yet looking at the car, it wasn't as obvious as a full bar.

Anyway, I'm sure Mini could come up with something creative. And I hope they do.
 
GetOffYourGas said:
I used to drive a Honda S2000. That car didn't have a traditional roll bar, but had reinforced headrests. In the case of a roll-over, the seat itself would protect the driver from being crushed. Yet looking at the car, it wasn't as obvious as a full bar.

Anyway, I'm sure Mini could come up with something creative. And I hope they do.
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MINI Convertibles have pop-up roll-bars behind the rear seats, don't they? That's creative, but it would take a very strong windshield frame to protect in a rollover with that big battery underneath. Even if the front seats could provide some protection, the windshield frame itself would present a danger.
 
Well then we simply need lighter batteries. Every generation of batteries gets more energy dense. The question is, what to do with them? Do you increase range for the same weight, or lower weight for the same range? I would be happy with a "110-mile" Mini convertible. But the EV market is obsessed with range (exhibit A - every review of the SE laments its short range). Will Mini continue to buck the trend? And will they have sales success if they do?
 
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