Although creating a car with no engine or transmission essentially opens up a world of possibilities in terms of design, we’re yet to see revolutionary changes in the ways the cars are made.
This happens mostly because until now, with a few notable exceptions like Tesla, no established carmaker has designed an electric car from the ground up. They mostly recycled existing platforms and bodies, stripped ICE off of them and packed a battery and some motors.
Fortunately, as time passes, we begin to see some changes. The first element carmakers seem to drop from the design of the car is the front radiator grille, no longer necessary on electric-drive machines.
For MINI, the exterior details for the electric version were presented on a concept car last year. A hexagonal closed-off grille, if it can be called that, adorns the front end of the car. A yellow accent bar with a badge, offset to one side, sits on the grille.
The same grille, possibly with minor changes, was presented on Thursday by MINI as the official initial design sketch for the production model which will be launched in 2019. With the image of the grille came another one, showing the wheel design of the fully-electric MINI that will sell from next year. It too is an exact copy of the design shown on the concept.
“MINI is an urban brand and the fully-electric MINI the logical next step into the future,” said in a statement Oliver Heilmer, head of MINI Design.
“These initial sketches for the fully electrified MINI outline our vision of authentic design creating a bridge between the history of the brand and its electric future.”
Those willing to get a taste of what the electric MINI will look like will be able to do so by taking a trip to West Sussex, where the car will be displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Attached below are the offical details released by MINI on the E model.
Fortunately, as time passes, we begin to see some changes. The first element carmakers seem to drop from the design of the car is the front radiator grille, no longer necessary on electric-drive machines.
For MINI, the exterior details for the electric version were presented on a concept car last year. A hexagonal closed-off grille, if it can be called that, adorns the front end of the car. A yellow accent bar with a badge, offset to one side, sits on the grille.
The same grille, possibly with minor changes, was presented on Thursday by MINI as the official initial design sketch for the production model which will be launched in 2019. With the image of the grille came another one, showing the wheel design of the fully-electric MINI that will sell from next year. It too is an exact copy of the design shown on the concept.
“MINI is an urban brand and the fully-electric MINI the logical next step into the future,” said in a statement Oliver Heilmer, head of MINI Design.
“These initial sketches for the fully electrified MINI outline our vision of authentic design creating a bridge between the history of the brand and its electric future.”
Those willing to get a taste of what the electric MINI will look like will be able to do so by taking a trip to West Sussex, where the car will be displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Attached below are the offical details released by MINI on the E model.