Mini factory to go electric after BMW invests £600m

BMW announced plans yesterday to transform its Mini factory in Oxford to produce nothing but electric vehicles, protecting thousands of jobs at a site that has been making cars for more than 100 years.

- DANICA KIRKA

The German carmaker said it would invest £600m 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 UK government agreed to plough an undisclosed amount of taxpayer funding into the project.

BMW’s plans are a vote of confidence in Britain’s beleaguered car industry, which is struggling to compete amid an industrywide shift to electric vehicles and the challenges created by Brexit.

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 per cent electric by 2030.

“Today we are announcing the new generation of fully electric Minis 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.