Fresh-faced MINI EV caught in plain sight

Electric MINI sits on new platform developed with Great Wall; EV will be made in China, but UK-built petrol versions continue

- Jordan Katsianis

MINI is preparing to launch its all-new, all-electric MINI Cooper - but the company has been caught out during a filming session in the United States, allowing the world an early look at the model in full-production trim.

The completely undisguised vehicle shows how the popular hatchback will get a striking new look for its next generation, codenamed F66. This new model will represent a big step forward from the existing MINI Hatchback, sitting on a new and bespoke EV platform developed in conjunction with BMW's Chinese partner Great Wall, and featuring an equally fresh design that channels its iconic design cues into a new look. It'll also have a new name, because Cooper will now come to designate all three-door MINI models.

Spotted in Cooper S form, the new pure-electric supermini looks much cleaner than prior generations, thanks largely to the removal of the plastic wheelarch cladding that has defined the modern MINI since its debut back in 2000. The original 'new MINI', designed by Frank Stephenson, has become an icon in its own right, giving the design team at MINI a tough job to reimagine it in bespoke EV form.