A spokesman told Automotive News Europe that BMW will be producing electric hatchbacks and a small SUV in China through its partnership with Great Wall Motor. As such, the company will cease production of electric versions of MINI hatchbacks in the UK.
In 2019, Great Wall Motor and the BMW Group announced the launch of their joint venture, Spotlight Automotive Limited to build a plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province. BMW said that it would start making electric MINIs at the new plant starting in 2023.
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Also read: 2021 MINI Electric facelift arrives in Malaysia, RM 1k cheaper at RM 217k
Stefanie Wurst, the new head of MINI, told UK’s The Times that the decision to cease production of electric MINI in the UK was due to the inefficiencies of having electric and petrol cars on the same assembly line in the Cowley plant.
“Oxford is not geared up for electric vehicles,” she said. “It will need renovation and investment.” Interestingly, when asked if the Oxford plant could at some point in the future build both MINIs and Great Wall brands such as Ora and Wey, she replied: “Maybe.”
Also read: MINI's 2021 worldwide sales hit 302,144 units, MINI Electric most in demand
The quest for automotive knowledge began as soon as the earliest memories. Various sources information, even questionable ones, have been explored including video games, television, magazines, or even internet forums. Still stuck in that rabbit hole.
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