BMW has confirmed it’s to take a position lots of of tens of millions of kilos to organize its Mini factories at Cowley and Swindon to construct newest era and all-new electrical fashions from 2026.

BMW mentioned it would spend £600 million on revamping the Cowley plant, together with growing manufacturing strains, extending the physique store in addition to constructing battery set up and extra logistics services at Cowley and at its Swindon physique panel manufacturing unit.

This may put together for 2 new all-electric Mini fashions from 2026, the Mini Cooper 3-door and the new-launch compact crossover Mini Aceman. By, 2030, it’s deliberate that manufacturing quantity can be completely electrical with the BMW Group having spent over £3 billion on its Swindon, Hams Corridor and Oxford vegetation since 2000.

The Mini plant in Oxford at present produces the Mini 3-door, the Mini 5-door in addition to the Mini Clubman and the Mini Electrical. From 2024 the plant will begin producing the subsequent era Mini 3-door and Mini 5-door with combustion engines, in addition to the brand new Mini Convertible, earlier than they’re joined by the brand new all-electric automobiles in 2026.

The manufacturing unit will attain a manufacturing capability of round 200,000 vehicles per yr within the medium time period, with ICE and battery electrical automobiles initially being constructed on the identical manufacturing line. From 2030, the Oxford Plant will produce all-electric Mini fashions completely.

The UK funding can be backed by funding from the federal government’s Automotive Transformation Fund – understood to be price £75 million.

Mike Hawes, chief government of UK business physique the Society of Motor Producers and Merchants, mentioned: “Not solely does it safe the long-term way forward for the house of one of many world’s most iconic manufacturers, it additionally demonstrates as soon as once more our capabilities in electrical car manufacturing. Investments akin to this enhance productiveness and assist ship jobs, development and financial advantages for the nation.”

The primary electrical Mini was launched on the Cowley plant in 2019 and because the model deliberate to go totally electrical by 2030, BMW’s determination was crucial to way forward for its UK manufacturing base.

Curiously, final yr, BMW mentioned manufacturing of most of its electrical vehicles would transfer to China in partnership with Nice Wall Motor, suggesting that constructing standard and electrical vehicles on the identical website was ‘inefficient’.

Manufacturing of the subsequent era all-electric MINI Cooper 3-door and MINI Aceman will go forward as deliberate in China at a brand new manufacturing plant in Zhangjiagang, and relies on a three way partnership with Nice Wall Motors. Exports will start in early 2024.

Forward of the UK ban on the sale of recent petrol and diesel powered vehicles in 2035 the UK has made a number of strategic investments in UK-based EV manufacturing together with the choice to again Jaguar Land Rover’s “gigafactory” to provide batteries in Somerset, and Stellantis which is planning to ramp up EV manufacturing at Ellesmere Port.