Mini has confirmed it has paused plans to build the electric Cooper and Aceman models in the UK.
The brand’s parent company BMW announced in 2023 that production would begin at its Oxford site in 2026, but now says the timeline is under review due to “uncertainties” in the EV sector.
Both the Cooper hatchback and Aceman compact SUV are currently built in China for global export.
A Mini spokesperson told EV Powered: “Given the multiple uncertainties facing the automotive industry, the BMW Group is currently reviewing the timing for reintroducing battery-electric Mini production in Oxford.”
The £600 million redevelopment of the factory is “well underway to make the plant future-ready.” This work includes creating new production lines at the main Oxford site and developing the Swindon body pressing facility.
The Oxford factory currently produces petrol versions of the Mini hatchback and was scheduled to shift to all-electric production by 2030. It remains unclear how the latest announcement affects that timeline.
Mini’s spokesperson emphasized the brand’s commitment to the Oxford site: “Plant Oxford is at the heart of Mini production, manufacturing and exporting a range of models which are sought after in the UK and around the world.”
UK business and trade minister Sarah Jones stressed in parliament that the project was delayed, not cancelled. Answering an urgent question in the House of Commons, she said the government was in contact with BMW Group management and the delay was for “commercial” reasons.
Mini has informed the government of its plans to review the production timeline and agreed not to take a previously announced government grant for factory development.
The decision comes as several automakers slow their EV strategies amid mixed consumer demand and inconsistent political messaging — from the UK’s tough pro-EV ZEV mandate to the anti-EV stance of US president Donald Trump.
Manufacturers are struggling with varying adoption rates across different markets. While EV sales continue to climb in the UK, reaching record levels in 2024, they’re declining elsewhere in Europe.
Germany recorded a 27% decline in EV demand in 2024, the first year after cutting all subsidies. In contrast, 97% of all new car sales in Norway last year were electric.
