BMW's first all-electric Minis debut as early as June

The new all-electric Mini Cooper, left, and Mini Countryman models on display at an exhibition titled "Mini Heritage & Beyond" in southern Seoul on Monday. [BMW KOREA]

BMW unveiled the look of its all-electric Mini Cooper and Mini Countryman on Monday, with a planned release date set for as early as this June in Korea.

The performance of two models, initially planned to launch in the second quarter in Korea, could set the early tone for the German automaker's grand plan to turn its Mini brand all electric by 2030.

Prices for the two EV models were not yet disclosed to the public. Pre-reservations for an all-electric Mini Cooper open on April 1, while that of the Mini Countryman is set for May 1 in Korea.

Three gasoline models — the Mini Cooper 3-Door Hatch, the Mini Cooper 5-Door Hatch and a new Mini Convertible — will be released between July and September as well.

“Mini’s electric model lineup will be expanded to three with the introduction of the new all-electric Mini Cooper and Mini Countryman, and the addition of the Mini Aceman by 2025,” said Mini Korea Director Jung Soo-won at a press event in southern Seoul on Monday. “Until the complete transition to electrification in 2026, Mini will continue to offer existing gasoline models, including the 3-Door, 5-Door and Countryman.”

The most distinctive characteristic of the two models is a circular organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen planted in the center of the dashboard. The OLED display replaces the traditional instrument cluster and onboard monitor and offers a wide range of features, from a cloud-based navigation system to color-changing controls for the interior and exterior lights.

The 9.44-inch-wide (24-centimeter-wide) circular display was made especially for these two EV models by Samsung Display — fully incorporating the Mini series’ compact and rounded design.

Mini Korea sold over 10,000 units for the first time in 15 years in 2019 since the brand entered Korea back in 2005. It consecutively surpassed that mark for four years until 2022 but failed to reach the milestone last year, selling 9,535 units.

Interested consumers can get a sneak peek of the Mini EVs at the brand’s exhibition, dubbed “Mini Heritage & Beyond," which will be held at the K-Museum of Contemporary Art in southern Seoul from Friday to April 21. The exhibit is free to enter, but those interested need to reserve a slot through portal site Naver beforehand.

It also showcases the Mini Clubman Final Edition, a limited model that will be discontinued after selling 1,969 units, in commemoration of the year the first generation was released 55 years ago. Only 150 units are on sale in Korea from Monday.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]