MINI abandons electric convertible due to weak sales

BMW Blog sources claim that the Cooper Convertible (J03) project has been cancelled. It was decided to reduce costs against the backdrop of problems with the profitability of the production of entry-level electric vehicles: auto giants such as BYD are forcing traditional brands to take into account “price wars.” Fans of MINI convertibles can only choose the regular Cooper with a turbo engine.

The electric MINI Cooper Convertible was supposed to be unified with a hatchback, that is, two power plants with a capacity of 184 or 218 horsepower, as well as batteries with a capacity of 41 or 54 kilowatt-hours were expected. The three-door has a power reserve of 300 to 400 kilometers, and it is unlikely that the “open” version would have fundamentally different characteristics.

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It seems that BMW marketers decided that the time for niche electric vehicles had not come, because even sales of gasoline Cooper and Cooper S fell by a third. They planned to release the new product in the UK and China, and the prospects for demand looked dubious. The thing is that even the latest electric cars with conventional bodies have to be sold at large discounts.

Before the New Year, MINI even paused production of the Cooper and Aceman in the UK to avoid overstocking. Since MINI’s lineup is so new, lukewarm customer sentiment spells bigger problems than the end of convertible development.

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