BMW Group has announced that it is investing over £600 million in the MINI factories located in Oxford and Swindon. This investment is mainly done for the production of MINI’s next-generation all-electric line-up in the UK.
The Oxford plant, which celebrated its 110th anniversary this year, will be equipped to build two of MINI’s all-new all-electric models. This includes the MINI Cooper 3-door hatchback and the MINI Aceman crossover. These two models won’t be the first electric vehicles (EVs) to be produced by the plant either, as it has been producing the outgoing MINI Electric since 2019.
MINI says that its factory will reach a production capacity of around 200,000 cars per year in the medium term, with ICE and EVs initially being built on the same production line. The company also predicts that by 2030, its production volume will be exclusively electric. By then, BMW Group will have spent over £3 billion on its Swindon, Hams Hall, and Oxford plants since the year 2000.
BMW AG’s Member of the Board of Management responsible for production, Milan Nedeljković said, “With this new investment we will develop the Oxford plant for production of the new generation of electric MINIs and set the path for purely electric car manufacturing in the future.”
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This development has also gained support from the UK government. This is due to the development being able to help secure jobs at the brand’s Oxford manufacturing plant, as well as its body-pressing facility in Swindon.
UK Business and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch said, “This decision is a big vote of confidence in the UK economy and the work of this Government to ensure the continued strength of our world-leading automotive sector. We are proud to be able to support BMW Group’s investment, which will secure high-quality jobs, strengthen our supply chains and boost Britain’s economic growth.”
Before 2030 arrives, however, MINI’s factories in Oxford and Swindon will be responsible for building the brand’s next-generation internal combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicles from next year (2024) onwards. This includes the MINI 3-door, MINI 5-door, as well as the MINI Convertible.
Outside of the UK, production of the new MINI Countryman will begin at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig in just a few weeks’ time. Production of the next-generation all-electric MINI Cooper 3-door and MINI Aceman in the company’s new manufacturing plant in China.
The new manufacturing plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province is based on a joint venture with Chinese carmaker – Great Wall Motor will also be starting soon. Exports for the two EVs will begin in early 2024.
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