MINI’s upcoming electric vehicle was recently
spotted wearing less disguise and now the company has released the first teaser
images of the hatchback. Set to go on sale next year, the unnamed model will build on the
success of the MINI E pilot program which kicked off a decade ago.
Since the car is still several months away from
being unveiled, the company was tight-lipped on specifics and only released two
sketches of components that will be used on the road-going model. The first shows the car’s unique grille which
is fully enclosed as electric vehicles don’t need an open grille like
conventionally powered models. Despite the change, the grille retains its
hexagonal shape and features a yellow accent bar to distinguish it from more
mainstream variants.
The second sketch reveals the stylish four-spoke
wheels which will become a hallmark of the MINI EV. They carryover from last
year’s MINI Electric concept and resemble a plus sign located within a circle.
Besides the eye-catching yellow outer ring, the wheels have an asymmetrical
design with three open rectangles and a contrasting flat surface.
There’s no word on performance specifications but
the model could use a variation of the electric powertrain that debuted in the
BMW iX3 concept. That particular model had a 70+ kWh battery pack and an
electric motor that developed more than 270 PS. Of course, if
that were to happen, the MINI would have a significantly smaller battery due to
its more modest dimensions.
