The classic Mini hatchback is getting a modern retrofit, with a new EV conversion package being offered to owners of the iconic small car.
Exclusively available to UK classic Mini owners, the bespoke retrofit offer will see vehicles upcycled with a 90kW electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery that can delivery a predicted 160km range and a top speed of 100km/hr.
The  conversion, which is intended to respect the history of the vehicle whilst bringing it into the 21st century, includes a central instrument cluster that stays true to the original 1959 classic but which instead displays drive temperature, the selected gear, remaining range and speed.
The electrified Mini not only gives the classic Mini a new lease on life, but it also gives drivers a brand new driving experience, as well as the ability to drive in the UK’s low emissions zones without having to pay an additional tax.
“What the project team are developing preserves the character of the classic Mini and enables its fans to enjoy all-electric performance. With MINI Recharged, we are connecting the past with the future of the brand,” said Bernd Körber, head of the Mini brand, which is owned by BMW.
But the Recharged project, as it has been dubbed by Mini, has some other neat tie-ins to BMW and Mini’s electrification strategy.
One links back to the past: when the Mini was first introduced to the market in 1959 it was during an oil crisis.
As Mini notes in its press release on the charged project, the design thinking behind the iconic small car was to provide a means of transport for occupants and their luggage with the smallest footprint possible. This saved on materials to build the car, and fuel to drive it.
Fast-forward 60 years and the Recharged classic Mini project also ties in with BMW future outlook: by giving new life to an old car, Mini incorporates a piece of its past in its goal to create a circular economy with its products; a strategy that saw the unveiling of a totally recycled and recyclable BMW in September 2021 dubbed the i Vision Circular.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.