Mini's big EV charge

AS MINI ANNOUNCES ITS GREEN FUTURE WILL ENTAIL AN EMISSIONS-FREE FLEET FROM 2030, WE SIT DOWN WITH BRAND BOSS BERND KORBER FOR THE FULL RUNDOWN

- GEORG KACHER

SURPRISINGLY candid is how we’d describe the head of Mini, Bernd Korber, who is speaking with Wheels about the brand’s bold future. He’s not hiding emotions, either.

“We’ve got the next five years pretty much buttoned up,” he says, “but even thinking about the platform that will replace the [incoming EV] matrix introduced in 2023 is still spooky stuff right now”.

On paper, Mini is healthy. Impacted supply chains have knocked down a 2021 sales projection from 350,000 to 305,000, but that is still a five percent increase on the 292,000 cars sold last year. Ultimately, Mini is aiming for 500,000 annual sales, a goal expected in the decade’s second half.

Before then, big changes, like new factories in China and Germany that will assist a global debut of new and EV models, lay the groundwork for growth. In China, Mini will build two electric models in partnership with Great Wall Motors.

The first will arrive in 2023. Codenamed AO, the new EV will be a front-drive, three-door hatchback based on a bespoke Munichdeveloped platform. There also will be a brand new five-door zero-emission crossover in 2024. Think of a five-door Paceman with a less rakish roofline, all-wheel drive and large body-coloured grille ready to fight the Hyundai Kona.