The Classic Mini Goes Electric

Retro is back in style in a big way, everywhere from fashion and art to technology and business. Now, seemingly with cars, too. The classic Mini is probably one of the most iconic automobile designs, but to say its internal mechanics are rather dated would be an understatement.

This one isn’t just a normal MINI, though – it has a bit of a surprise under its bonnet: a fully electric drive-train. We shouldn’t get too excited, unfortunately, because this won’t be a production model in any way, but it is a way for Mini to cement their dedication to progressive technologies for their cars. Think of it as one of the coolest marketing exercises you’ll ever see.

This resurrection of the classic Mini comes as a prelude to the Mini Electric Concept, which was announced at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show – and precedes the brand’s first all electric car, due in 2019.

As more and more alternative energy technologies become better researched and developed expect brands to create more fanfare around their electric cars, with Mini leading the charge within the BMW stable. If vintage Minis that you can’t buy aren’t quite your thing, here’s a quick look at the electric concept from 2017 that will probably be the basis for their 2019 release.