An electrified Mini Cooper will come on July 9

Mini has confirmed that the long-anticipated electric Mini Cooper will finally launch on July 9th, serving as the company's first production fully-electrical vehicle.

According to MotorAuthority, the latest add-on to the Mini vehicle portfolio will bear the proper name of Mini Cooper S Due east Hardtop. Information technology will likewise have ii doors, making it a minor three-door (plus the hatch) hatchback.

The new Mini is expected to share powertrain components like the electric motors from the BMW i3 South, a compact luxury electric car from Mini's parent company BMW.

Because of this, performance figures could be similar. The BMW i3 S has 180 electrified horses, roughly 200 lb-ft of instant torque, and a range of 250km plus or minus.

But the two cars may send their power to the ground in dissimilar means. On the Mini, the borrowed electric motors volition reportedly drive the front axle every bit opposed to the rear axle implementation on the i3 S. In other words, it'south a front wheel bulldoze auto similar the Honda Civic.

This is also not the first time the British automaker dabbled its anxiety in the EV business. In 2008, the visitor created the experimental Mini E electric Hardtop in a limited run of merely 500 examples. Mini likewise sells a plug-in-hybrid compact crossover called Cooper S East ALL4 Countryman (letter East stands for electrification).

Pre-orders are at present open in Frg, France, Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway. MINI may bring the car to the US, U.k., Italian republic, and Spain if these markets show a sufficient amount of demands.

Source: Mini, via: Motor Authority