In early February, the BMW Group announced plans to invest €800 million and hire 1,000 people at the San Luis Potosi Plant to build Neue Klasse-based electric vehicles from 2027. At the time, the company didn’t go into any details about what models will be assembled in Mexico where the 2 Series Coupe and 3 Series Sedan are currently manufactured.
Automotive News previously reported the first two EVs could be an i3 Sedan (separate from the namesake model sold in China) and an iX3 crossover. Now, the same source claims a new MINI is going to be built there as well. It’s reportedly scheduled to go into production in the latter half of the decade and share the underpinnings with the two BMW-badged models. If that’s correct, it won’t be related to the next-generation, Leipzig-built Countryman since the electric version of the compact crossover will ride on the same CLAR platform as the combustion-engined variants.
It also won’t be related to the Aceman considering the subcompact electric-only crossover due in 2024 will ride on a platform developed by Great Wall Motors and BMW for their 50:50 joint venture called Spotlight Automotive. These different underpinnings are also serving as the foundation for the next-generation Cooper three-door electric hatchback scheduled to go into production later this year. Both the hatch and crossover will be exclusively made in China.
Contacted by Automotive News, a BMW representative refused to comment on the matter. Neue Klasse will be a modular platform, and it’ll be interesting to discover the size of the smallest cars. If MINI will utilize the underpinnings, then where will the crossover fit in the lineup? The British brand will have the zero-emission Aceman and Countryman in its lineup by then, so a third high-riding EV would have to play in a different segment. Perhaps a bigger MINI? That would make the Oxford-based brand more appealing to customers in the United States who tend to prefer larger vehicles.
Source: Automotive News
