Mini is using the IAA Cars 2017 show in Frankfurt to showcase its take on future personal mobility in the city, in the form of the Mini Electric Concept. The concept brings the iconic design, city-dwelling heritage and customary go-kart feeling of the brand into the electric mobility age. Mini will present an all-electric series-production model in 2019.
“The Mini Electric Concept is a quintessential Mini – compact, agile, simply the ideal companion for everyday driving. At the same time, it conveys a whole new take on the concept of sportiness,” explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President Bmw Group Design. The car’s surfaces have a sense of precision and contemporary clarity about them that lends added impact to the car’s efficient character. Plus, striking accents and vivid contrasts give the exterior that distinctive Mini twist,” said van Hooydonk.
A hexagonal radiator grille and circular headlights make the Mini Electric Concept instantly recognizable when viewed from the front. Even from the outside, it is obvious that this car has an electric heart. Identifying features include the vividly contrasting silver and yellow color scheme reminiscent of the earlier Mini E, as well as the distinctive E badge. Besides this, the radiator grille and headlights have been reinterpreted to reflect the emission-free drive technology under the bonnet.
The car’s silhouette is composed of taut, clean-cut surfaces, producing a minimalist impression that exudes efficiency. The aerodynamic inlays – made using a 3D printing process – echo the fiberglass structure of the air deflectors and inject the wheels with great aesthetic appeal. The recessed louvered surfaces in the simulated air intakes were also produced using a 3D printing method. The rear of the concept car also marks it out as a thoroughbred Mini. Its wide stance on the road is striking in a sporty way, without lapsing into excessive flamboyance. The upper section is dominated by clear surfaces, but the rear takes on a far more dynamic aspect as it cascades down. This familiar approach from Mini, where the car’s volume steadily increases from the top down, makes the shoulders appear broad and athletic.
