Mini to be fully electric by ‘early 2030s’

It’s official: Mini will only sell all-electric vehicles by the early 2030s.

The news was announced at the BMW Group’s annual conference this week, confirming earlier reports.

The last internal combustion engine-powered Mini will be introduced ‘as early as 2025’.

It’s expected to be the next-generation Mini hatchback.

After that vehicle is introduced, all subsequent launches will be of all-electric models, with the company expecting at least half of all sales by 2027 to be electric.

The company has set a goal for the entire range to be fully electric by ‘the early 2030s’, which gives it a little more wiggle room than Volvo and Bentley’s 2030 goals.

The company has also committed to remaining a global brand with a footprint in every region of the world.

Mini currently sells only one electric car, the Mini Electric.

It’ll be joined by an electric version of the next Countryman, which will be built in Leipzig, Germany alongside an internal combustion engine-powered version. It’s expected to debut in 2023.

Mini will also produce EVs in China in collaboration with Great Wall Motors, and the first Chinese product is expected to be a sub-Countryman crossover.

The Countryman will be one of a collection of BMW Group vehicles that’ll offer a choice of four drivetrain variants including an all-electric model.

The others are the BMW X1, X3, 5 Series and 7 Series.

Fellow small car manufacturer Smart has already dropped internal combustion engines from its Fortwo range, while two upcoming SUVs will use Geely’s all-electric Sustainable Experience Architecture.