Photo: MINI
The Chinese cities are in deep trouble. It’s no longer news that the air in China’s biggest cities is almost unbreathable. That means the Chinese Government will have to find a way to make people understand that pollution could be the death of them all.
At the moment, several solutions were proposed and some even put in practice but they showed little improvement. One of them was to ban half the cars from public roads on various days but that only meant more chaos.
Another solution might be to encourage people to go electric. Driving is not the problem in China, but the CO2 emissions. With EVs that problem would be out of the question.
That’s where BMW’s i3 steps is and, according to German publication Euro am Sonntag, MINI in the near future. In one interview for the quoted publication, BMW Brand Manager, Peter Schwarzbauer said that an e-MINI might be possible in the near future.
"The electrification of a conventional and small vehicle like the Mini is a challenging task. It fits perfectly with the brand and I am convinced that we will offer a suitable solution, " he said.
That comes as no surprise, since an electric MINI was used to develop the i3, but only as a test car and was never put in production, for the wide masses.
The e-MINI could be a solution in China, especially since the Chinese are making more and more money and are looking for premium, cosy vehicles even more these days.
However, interior space is a cultural problem in China and the Hatch might not be the perfect solution for the communist market. That’s where the new MPV model might step in, offering an electric alternative. It’s a possibility.
Furthermore, Schwarzbauer also pointed out that the new platform will allow MINI to further expand its line-up, going from 7 models to 8 or even 10.
"Due to the vehicle architecture, we can expand to eight to ten derivatives. The Chinese are just discovering the smaller segments. The time for the Mini is thus yet to come,” he said.
Via: KFZ
Another solution might be to encourage people to go electric. Driving is not the problem in China, but the CO2 emissions. With EVs that problem would be out of the question.
That’s where BMW’s i3 steps is and, according to German publication Euro am Sonntag, MINI in the near future. In one interview for the quoted publication, BMW Brand Manager, Peter Schwarzbauer said that an e-MINI might be possible in the near future.
"The electrification of a conventional and small vehicle like the Mini is a challenging task. It fits perfectly with the brand and I am convinced that we will offer a suitable solution, " he said.
That comes as no surprise, since an electric MINI was used to develop the i3, but only as a test car and was never put in production, for the wide masses.
The e-MINI could be a solution in China, especially since the Chinese are making more and more money and are looking for premium, cosy vehicles even more these days.
However, interior space is a cultural problem in China and the Hatch might not be the perfect solution for the communist market. That’s where the new MPV model might step in, offering an electric alternative. It’s a possibility.
Furthermore, Schwarzbauer also pointed out that the new platform will allow MINI to further expand its line-up, going from 7 models to 8 or even 10.
"Due to the vehicle architecture, we can expand to eight to ten derivatives. The Chinese are just discovering the smaller segments. The time for the Mini is thus yet to come,” he said.
Via: KFZ
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