BMW to build new electric Mini in England after UK government approves multimillion-pound investment
BMW has announced plans to transform its Mini factory in Oxford, England, to produce nothing but electric vehicles
LONDON — BMW announced plans Monday to transform its Mini factory in Oxford, England, to produce nothing but electric vehicles, protecting thousands of jobs at a site that has been making cars for more than 100 years.
The German automaker said it would invest 600 million pounds ($751 million) in the project, allowing the factory to begin making two new all-electric models in 2026 before moving completely to electric vehicle production four years later.
The commitment came after the U.K. government agreed to plow an undisclosed amount of taxpayer funding into the project.
BMW's plans are a vote of confidence in Britain’s beleaguered auto industry, which is struggling to compete amid an industrywide shift to electric vehicles and the challenges created by the U.K.’s exit from the European Union’s single market.
The company's decision also ensures the iconic Mini will continue to be made in the country where it was born as BMW aims to make the brand 100% electric by 2030.
“Today we are announcing the new generation of fully electric Minis are being built here in Oxford, and setting the path for the future of this site,” Milan Nedeljkovic, the BMW Group board member in charge of production, said.
U.K. Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch declined to comment on reports that the government would invest 75 million pounds ($94 million) in the project. Releasing such information would complicate negotiations with other companies as the government seeks to attract investments in electric car production, she said.
The government has mandated that only zero-emission cars and vans may be sold in the U.K. by 2035.
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