Mini has released a pair of exclusive detail design sketches as an initial preview of the first fully-electric model from the history-rich British brand. Following on from the Mini E pilot project exactly ten years ago, the car with battery-electric drivetrain represents the next stage in the electrification of the brand and therefore reflects the Bmw Group’s Number One>Next strategy. “Mini is an urban brand and the fully-electric the logical next step into the future,” says Oliver Heilmer, Head of Mini Design. “These initial sketches for the fully electrified car outline our vision of authentic design creating a bridge between the history of the brand and its electric future.”

Mini E

The sketches show the car’s grille. Its hexagonal form is a signature Mini design element, but the closed-off interpretation is all new. Behind the grille, cooling elements are conspicuous by their absence – which means the grille can stay closed and therefore improve airflow. A yellow accent bar with an E badge in the same colour produces a powerful contrasting effect and identifies this as an electric Mini. The second sketch shows the striking wheel design of the fully-electric car, which has been carried over from the Mini Electric Concept – unveiled for the first time last year – into the production model. The wheels take the motif of the accent bar on the grille and add their own asymmetrical twist.