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Home ›Press Releases› Sustainability, diversity, innovation, profitability and optimism-MINI's future strategy
Blue sky thinking, viewing challenges as opportunities, and considering personal wishes and needs in an open and unconventional way-all these aspects are firmly rooted in the tradition of the MINI brand. MINI is now planning its future route on this self-confident mentality platform.
Blue sky thinking, viewing challenges as opportunities, and considering personal wishes and needs in an open and unconventional way-all these aspects are firmly rooted in the tradition of the MINI brand. MINI is now planning its future route on this self-confident mentality platform. This involves MINI accepting current challenges in the fields of mobility, energy economy and climate protection, and meeting these challenges with independent solutions to achieve the brand's typical future driving pleasure. The strategy developed for this is based on the campaign slogan "Big Love". This symbolizes the brand’s close commitment to the basic natural needs of our planet, to diverse humans, to technological advancement, and to profitable growth as a premium car manufacturer.
The classic Mini is the ideal answer to contemporary problems at the time. It was developed during the Suez oil crisis and is mainly an economical car. It uses a creative space method, takes up the smallest space on the road, and is installed in a small parking space in the center of the city. The classic Mini has a small footprint, but provides enough space for four people and their luggage. Its revolutionary vehicle concept helped this small car achieve the status of a classless car, and it has a wide community of enthusiasts around the world to provide unique driving pleasure. In the past 20 years, Hyundai MINI has been applying these principles to the high-end market segment of small cars. Therefore, sustainability, social diversity, innovative spirit, and the opportunity to develop new target groups and markets are the basic advantages of the brand. MINI is using these characteristics to meet the current challenges in the field of urban transportation and has adopted a confident approach.
Throughout the production life cycle, the carbon dioxide emissions of each car continue to decrease, which expresses a clear recognition of sustainability. This includes the exclusive use of the supply chain and green power in production. By the early 2030s, the model series will be fully electrified, and the proportion of natural and recyclable materials used in vehicles will increase steadily, which will become a further influencing factor.
There are many social responsibilities that MINI assumes. The stepless cars of the past have long become the ideal means of transportation for diverse communities. Both male and female MINI drivers are individualists and part of a larger community that interprets diversity as a richness for everyone. The development, production and sales teams of MINI models are diversified. As a premium car manufacturer operating on the global stage, MINI is committed to social diversification and supports initiatives to promote tolerance and an open society. MINI's commitment to people's life and passion is also reflected in further commitments. MINI promotes solutions through the accelerator URBAN-X to improve the place where most people live: towns.
MINI is proposing new ideas for future urban transportation design. In addition to innovative vehicle concepts such as MINI Vision Urbanaut, this entrepreneurial approach also includes pioneering development in the field of digital services and products. Therefore, the user experience associated with the use of the MINI display and control system makes a significant contribution to the typical driving pleasure of the brand. The seamless integration of their smartphones enables MINI customers to stay in full contact with their digital lives in their cars. In addition, MINI App is transforming into a community platform, which not only deepens the relationship between drivers and cars, but also connects MINI fans with each other.
"MINI has always been the answer to the very special challenges of personal travel. Bernd Körber, head of MINI, commented that the willingness to rethink the status quo has determined the development of the brand to this day. "In addition to electric vehicles, the development of new target groups and sales markets is also the future of MINI. The key factor. "MINI has begun to showcase a new generation of all-electric models as early as 2023. Among them, two newly developed models designed for pure electric travel are being produced in China. Local production provides opportunities for MINI as a supplier to optimize and make it more than ever. Extensively participate in the booming development of the Chinese automobile market. From 2023, the current MINI Countryman’s successor will be produced at the BMW Group’s Leipzig plant, powered by electric drives and internal combustion engines. All other MINI models will be produced at the MINI Oxford plant. The factory is still the core of MINI production. The UK will continue to be the birthplace of the MINI brand.
Anyone who chooses MINI will always choose sustainability. The principle of doing more with less is part of the brand tradition. As early as 1959, Alec Issigonis, the designer of the classic Mini, showed that if a car's footprint on the road is slightly more than 3 meters long, it can provide transportation from A to B for four passengers and their luggage at the same time. The revolutionary design principle, the four-cylinder engine is installed laterally at the front, and the wheels are located in the corners of the car, which also brings exceptional agile driving characteristics under low fuel consumption.
As a brand of the BMW Group, MINI is also committed to the company's strategic sustainable development goals. In 2020, the BMW Group has set its own agenda, which is more ambitious than the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement’s goal to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the company is ready to meet the requirements of the EU’s “Fit for 55” program, which stipulates that from 2030, the carbon dioxide emissions of new fleets will be reduced by 55%. MINI's contribution includes the continued electrification of the model series. As early as the early 2030s, MINI will become an all-electric brand.
To achieve this goal, the carbon dioxide footprint of the entire value chain (including production and upstream supply chains) will continue to decrease. By 2030, the BMW Group plans to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of each vehicle in this field by at least 40% compared to 2019. In the long run, the BMW Group has set the goal of establishing a climate-neutral business model. The entire value chain by 2050.
Binding environmental standards ensure that carbon dioxide emissions in the supply chain will be reduced by 20% by 2030. The fact that suppliers who only produce batteries for electric drivetrain-driven vehicles use only green electricity means that over the next ten years, the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere will be reduced by approximately 10 million tons. MINI uses a relatively small energy storage system to design high-voltage batteries. These ensure a suitable range for urban traffic without compromising power consumption and vehicle flexibility due to excessive weight. The transparent procurement monitored by the BMW Group ensures that the raw materials required for the manufacture of high-voltage batteries comply with environmental and social standards. The high-voltage battery developed for the MINI electric vehicle ensures a long service life. After being applied to automobiles, they can also be used for long-term fixed storage systems in buildings. Only after this reuse and secondary use is completed, the storage unit needs to be recycled. At present, more than 90% of the raw materials used in batteries can be recycled.
Also after 2030, it is expected that the carbon dioxide emissions in the production of each car will be reduced by 80%. This means that the sustainability standards that BMW Group factories have reached so far will be raised again. At present, every MINI has achieved carbon neutrality. The MINI Oxford factory uses 100% green electricity to contribute to this. Part of the electricity is generated locally. One of the largest photovoltaic power generation systems in the UK has been installed on the roof of the production facility. Approximately 11,500 solar cells with an output power of approximately 3 megawatts generate electricity through solar energy, thereby reducing approximately 1,500 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Oxford has also deployed 18 LNG-operated trucks. They are powered by organic liquid natural gas, which helps to further reduce carbon dioxide during the production process. From 2023, the current MINI Countryman’s successor will be produced at the BMW Group’s Leipzig plant, where wind turbines will provide green electricity for car production.
By 2030, compared with 2019, carbon dioxide emissions per vehicle and per kilometer traveled are expected to be reduced by at least half. The electrification of the power transmission system plays a key role here. In the early stage, MINI played a pioneering role in the development of local zero-emission high-end mobility. Field trials started in 2009 by a test fleet of 600 MINI E vehicles yielded important findings regarding the use of all-electric drives under actual working conditions in daily urban traffic.
There are already two models in the brand's product line, the plug-in hybrid MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 (combined fuel consumption: 2.1 – 1.7 l/100 km, comprehensive power consumption: 15.5 – 14.8 kWh/100 km, combined carbon dioxide Emissions: 47 – 39 g/km, in line with WLTP) and all-electric MINI Cooper SE (comprehensive fuel consumption: 0.0 l/100 km, comprehensive power consumption: 17.6 – 15.2 kWh/100 km, comprehensive CO2 emissions: 0 g/ km WLTP), allowing local emission-free driving pleasure. If the MINI Cooper SE's high-voltage battery is charged with energy from the EU’s traditional power mix, compared with similar MINI 3-door cars powered by gasoline engines, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by about 36%. If only renewable energy is used for power generation, the reduction will be Even as high as 70%.
MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 and MINI Cooper SE also account for 15% of MINI's global sales. It is estimated that by 2027, this proportion will increase to 50%. In the early 2030s, MINI will only have all-electric models.
MINI engineers are always looking for new ways to maximize the protection of natural resources when selecting raw materials. For example, for this purpose, the proportion of secondary raw materials used in each vehicle is gradually increasing significantly. Compared with the main material, this method can once again greatly reduce the carbon dioxide emissions in the production process. Increasing the proportion of recycled aluminum is another measure that will be adopted in the future.
Recycled materials will also be used in fields such as roof linings, upholstery materials, seats, floor mats and floor coverings. In the future, natural fiber materials and plastics obtained from recycled PET bottles will be used instead of leather. The recycled fishing nets will form the raw material for the floor mats. The MINI Vision Urbanaut research particularly fully utilizes the potential of renewable materials. The entire interior is free of leather and chrome. On the contrary, the steering wheel and the floor part use natural materials such as cork, and also use detachable coverings made of knitted textiles. This creates a pleasant atmosphere in a natural way.
MINI STRIP was recently demonstrated as a very typical unconventional example of MINI, showing how creative thinking can pave the way for more sustainability. This customized special edition is a collaboration between MINI and British fashion designer Paul Smith. A tailor-made product was designed on the basis of MINI Cooper SE, which contains the theme of "simple, transparent and sustainable". As the name of the car implies, the car is reduced to its structural essence. In the end, only those elements that Paul Smith deemed absolutely necessary were used.
This consistent focus on sustainability has led to features such as a radical reduction in interiors, in which the traditional four-part instrument panel is replaced by a large translucent component with a smoked glass appearance, and the customer’s smartphone assumes the central instrument Features. Untreated panels and recycled materials from 3D printers are the main external features. Visible bolts on the mounting parts indicate that the individual components can be easily disassembled and returned to the raw material circulation at the end of the vehicle's life cycle.
Supporting initiatives that are conducive to sustainability MINI is carrying out a large number of activities that go beyond the boundaries of manufacturing cars, aimed at improving the quality of life and sustainability of the urban environment. For example, these measures include a collaboration between MINI and the British non-profit organization Earthwatch Europe, called the "Little Forest" initiative. Just as MINI's small space is efficiently used, MINI also supports the "Small Forest" initiative implemented by environmentalists. In addition to the British body press in Swindon, MINI also commissioned the planting of about 600 trees, which are very close to each other, which will allow them to grow in a completely natural way. This action captured additional carbon dioxide and created habitats for more than 500 plants and animals. Another "little forest" is planned to be built at the MINI factory in Oxford in 2022.
Local initiatives were also displayed on the MINI VOICES platform. These are all likely to change the world. An example of this is provided by the architect Clarisse Merlet presented by MINI France. She developed a method to obtain environmentally sound building materials from clothes that cannot be recycled. Her FabBRICK startup in Paris produces bricks made from recycled textile waste. The Swiss start-up Umami also demonstrated the production of micro-vegetables grown in a fish-vegetable symbiosis system at MINI VOICES. Nutrient-rich plants form a closed loop with fish and freshwater prawns. They are grown here without any artificial fertilizers. The micro-vegetables of the start-up company are supplied to famous restaurants in Zurich.
MINI promotes diversity-both inside and outside the MINI organization. As an international company, community and social responsibility are MINI's top priorities. This also includes a clear commitment to diversity within the company. "We are all different, but we get along well"-MINI employees all over the world have successfully cooperated in accordance with this motto. MINI regards diversity as an advantage. The company firmly believes that a diversified team is more creative and innovative. Therefore, they are the key to success in the competition for new markets, customers, and qualified up-and-coming talent.
Since its establishment in 1959, this method has been deeply rooted in MINI's DNA. The designer of the classic Mini, Alec Issigonis, was born in Turkey in 1906. His mother is a Bavarian and his father is a Greek-English.
Based on the BMW Group's diversification strategy, MINI established the MINI Diversity Plan to continue to strengthen the company's awareness of all aspects of diversification and have a positive impact on the corporate culture. In MINI, this means living and promoting a corporate culture in which all employees are given equal value and respect, regardless of their origin, status, age, sexual orientation, or whether they have a disability. All this is to create the best working environment in an open and respectful corporate culture that is completely unbiased.
MINI has always been a brand that brings together different people. This is also reflected in the motto proclaimed by the global high-end automaker on its journey towards an inclusive future: "We are all different, but we are very good together." The company raises the awareness of employees and managers on topics related to diversity through training courses, speeches and dialogues.
MINI's daily work environment has achieved absolutely equal progress in the staffing structure of various types of departments, responsibilities and management positions. Today, there are more women than men in MINI's total labor force.
The company has set targets related to the proportion of women in order to sustainably promote women's management functions. In order to achieve these goals, MINI carefully analyzed existing measures and programs and optimized them strategically. These include new forms of strategic promotion for female junior managers, and the organizational form of management functions led by the two. In addition, MINI ensures a high percentage of women in the junior management promotion program and is committed to returning seamlessly to the world of work after parental leave.
In addition to the company's own organizational structure, MINI is committed to openness and diversification. As part of this collaboration, the BMW and MINI Driving School program now includes safety training courses for people with disabilities, which enhances their driving pleasure.
In order to achieve this goal, the training vehicle was modified to have a manual control function. This means that your hands can always be kept on the steering wheel. The additional ring on the steering wheel is used for acceleration. A special brake lever is arranged directly next to it. These conversions allow vehicles such as 170 kW/231 hp MINI John Cooper Works (comprehensive fuel consumption: 7.1 – 6.8 l/100 km, WLTP compliance, 7.1 – 6.9 l/100 km, NEDC compliance; total carbon dioxide emissions: 161 – 155 g/km conforms to WLTP, and 163 – 158 g/km conforms to NEDC) After some practice, drive confidently and full of sportiness in the training location.
Global challenges such as climate change and urbanization have provided the impetus for MINI to promote innovation. These improved the customer experience and had a positive impact on society and the environment. MINI is committed not only to innovative vehicle technology, but also to making progress through social activities in the field of community life. The focus here is on vehicle concepts for urban transportation, more sustainable technologies, digital services, and initiatives to enrich town life with new power.
The continued electrification of this model series plays a key role in the development towards greater sustainability. The second key area of the future is digitalization. MINI is working with experts in Lisbon’s key technology projects to develop digital services and products for all markets, aiming to continuously promote the transformation and improvement of urban transportation. Smartphone integration and MINI App: driving pleasure combined with digital lifestyle.
In order to align the mobile experience with the requirements of contemporary target groups and define the trend of driving pleasure in the future, MINI is committed to pioneering development in the field of digital services and products. Urban transportation is increasingly becoming an integrated part of customers' digital lifestyles. This is why the user experience associated with using the display and control system in the MINI makes a significant contribution to the driving pleasure typical of this brand. The seamless integration of smartphones enables MINI customers to also stay in full contact with the digital world they live in their cars.
The MINI application is available for iOS and Android operating systems, and users can download it for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app provides continuous information about the state of the vehicle, optional remote functions such as locking and unlocking the doors, and direct contact with the driver's MINI service partner. The latest features include more transparent route planning through Trip Detail Enhancement. After selecting the destination, the user clicks "Show Route", and can directly see the traffic situation, distance and travel time on the planned route in the MINI App. The fuel price function enables users to search for gas stations and easily compare fuel prices without having to open other applications. The MINI app includes the exploration of the MINI label, which continues to provide relevant and interesting editorial content about the MINI brand's products, services and values, initially in Germany, Austria, and the United Kingdom. This content can be shared with other users.
MINI also defines benchmarks in the shared travel field. Use the link in the MINI application to easily access the MINI sharing application. As long as family and friends also own the application, they can invite each other. If friends want to use the vehicle for a period of time, they can use the app to send a request to the owner. It is then displayed in the calendar function of the new MINI sharing application, where the owner can confirm and manage the request. Once approved, the smartphone can be used to unlock, start and lock the vehicle.
MINI also uses the opportunities provided by digitization to strengthen the brand's typical community activities. Fans of MINI cars all over the world exchange opinions with each other extensively, and this kind of dialogue often transcends models, models and national boundaries. At the same time, they are also open to digital technology and use it for lively communication. MINI closely relates the digital services it develops to the interests of these target groups. The future expansion stage of MINI App is growing into a community platform. Users can use MINI's services in this digital ecosystem and connect with each other at the same time. MINI App will be transformed into a digital platform to deepen the relationship between car owners and vehicles and strengthen the MINI fan community.
Due to digitalization, typical new opportunities for MINI are constantly being created in the field of personalization. In the next generation of MINI models, the instrument panel located inside will have a surface that acts as a "canvas", and customers can customize it to meet their requirements using the vehicle control system. Various colors and patterns can be created on these surfaces by projection. This allows each driver to create their own personalized interior-to match their personal style, because they can update the interior at any time.
MINI startup accelerator URBAN-X has been cooperating with startup companies since 2016. These companies aim to use their innovations to make urban life better, more pleasant, more convenient, more sustainable, or just to improve the experience. Since the project was launched, more than 70 start-ups from different countries have passed the accelerator program.
Through creative communication with MINI designers, engineers and developers, the founders of selected start-ups are supported to further develop their business models. The innovations brought about in this process are related to some of the most pressing urban challenges, from building technology and infrastructure, to mobility and energy supply, to public health and civic services.
The re-adjustment of the model series, the expansion of production capacity, and the conquest of new target groups and markets are the strategic priorities that make MINI a profitable growth driver for global high-end automakers. This strategy will enable MINI to develop into a brand that is increasingly contributing to the sustainable profitability of the BMW Group. MINI has always focused on the future automotive market segments, drive technologies and services. Pay special attention to electric vehicles, strengthen its commitment to the crossover and high-end compact car market, and strengthen its market position in China. In this endeavor, MINI is committed to firmly rooting its capabilities in the brand tradition, that is, rethinking existing concepts, questioning the status quo and viewing challenges as opportunities.
Six years ago, the classic Mini brought fun and creative use of space in a variety of different ways, successfully leaving a deep impression on different target groups. Development ranges from the Mini Van with expanded cargo capacity to exclusive versions of Wolseley Hornet and Riley Elf. In addition, only a year after the debut of this revolutionary small car, the Mini Cooper has already come out-this is the basis for enhancing road driving pleasure and subsequent success in motorsports.
After relaunching the brand and starting to sell Hyundai MINI 20 years ago, the typical attributes of the new premium compact car were quickly transferred to other models. The current model series in the field of small cars include MINI 3-door models, MINI 5-door models and MINI Convertible models. In addition, MINI successfully entered the high-end compact market segment. Here, the equally practical and luxurious six-door MINI Clubman and MINI Countryman are powerful all-rounders, adopting the popular crossover style, providing the brand's typical go-kart feel, so that it can also be experienced in areas other than urban traffic. In addition, The MINI community’s cognition of personalized styles is also considered with attractive versions and exclusive editors now and in the future.
The sub-brand John Cooper Works has now been integrated under the umbrella of MINI and has launched two very sporty models in the small car and compact car segments. The small-batch MINI John Cooper Works GP (comprehensive fuel consumption: 7.3 liters/100 kilometers, comprehensive carbon dioxide emissions: 167 g/km) with its 225 kW/306 horsepower four-cylinder turbocharged engine particularly embodies its impact on motorsports. Strong enthusiasm for the engine.
At the same time, the unique MINI feels enriching the world of electric vehicles. A plug-in hybrid model based on the MINI Countryman smoothes this roadmap. In 2019, only MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 (comprehensive fuel consumption: 2.1 – 1.7 l/100 km, comprehensive power consumption: 15.5 – 14.8 kWh/100 km, comprehensive carbon dioxide emissions: 47 – 39 g/km, in line with WLTP) accounted for this 5% of the total sales of branded electric vehicles. Only a few months later, the all-electric MINI Cooper SE was launched (comprehensive fuel consumption: 0.0 l/100 km, comprehensive power consumption: 17.6 – 15.2 kWh/100 km, comprehensive carbon dioxide emissions: 0 g/km in line with the WLTP regulations). The share doubled, reaching 10% of all new registrations of the brand. In the first half of 2021, British high-end brand electric vehicles accounted for more than 15% of total global sales.
In 2023, MINI will launch the first model of a new generation of pure electric vehicles. The core product portfolio of future electric vehicles will include MINI 3-door cars and crossover models of small cars and high-end compact cars. The brand's small models and high-end compact crossover models also provide parallel options that are powered by traditional internal combustion engines. Cars equipped with high-efficiency gasoline and diesel engines will continue to be an ideal solution for target groups and regions that cannot meet or have not yet met the mobility needs of all-electric transmission systems in the future. MINI assumes that by 2027, electric vehicles will account for 50% of MINI's total global sales. By 2025, the last new MINI model with an internal combustion engine will be on the market. In the early 2030s, MINI will become an all-electric brand.
Continued electrification also provides a new perspective for the John Cooper Works brand. MINI is focusing on researching the concept of the electric John Cooper Works model. The brand is inspired by a strong passion for motorsports, and its goal is to transfer performance characteristics to electric vehicles. This approach will combine sustainability and extreme sports in a unique way.
Another component of the profitable growth strategy is MINI's enhanced commitment in the crossover vehicle category. This allows MINI to combine the typical driving pleasure of the brand in this market segment with sustainable driveline technology. In order to be able to benefit from global growth in the automotive level more intensively than before, MINI will also provide crossover models in the field of small cars, which only provide pure electric drive systems. The successor to the current MINI Countryman will be launched in 2023, which is extremely successful in the high-end compact segment. It will be equipped with an electric drive and internal combustion engine.
Today, MINI's high-end compact models account for about 40% of global car sales. The current MINI Countryman's successor aims to use this potential more widely than it has ever been. In addition, MINI is working to develop new vehicle concepts for the high-end compact market segment. This will satisfy many customers' expectations for space and comfort, as well as increased variability. MINI Vision Urbanaut showcased a series of creative solutions in this field. With its particularly sustainable interior, the vehicle supports multiple uses as well as the choice of materials and functions, providing a particularly fascinating view. This research transfers the typical creative use principle of MINI space to the future of urban transportation. Therefore, this vehicle concept meets the requirements of maximizing driving pleasure, available space and personalization typical of MINI to the smallest road footprint in a competitive environment.
China, the world's largest automotive market, continues to flourish, and its importance to MINI will increase significantly in the future. Currently, about 10% of all new cars produced by this brand are delivered to Chinese customers. In order to participate in the active development of the Chinese market and have the ability to sell more cars, MINI will soon transform from an imported brand to a local car brand.
Starting in 2023, new models in the small car segment developed for electric vehicles will be produced in China. Production will be located in a newly built automobile plant in eastern China. MINI will use the cars produced there to meet the growing demand for local emission-free driving pleasure in China and other global markets. Cooperation with Chinese partners is based on a clear principle: production follows the market. MINI will be able to serve the growing Chinese auto market with locally produced cars while maintaining stable production at other production facilities.
The next-generation MINI Countryman will also be put into production in 2023. The car will be produced at the Leipzig plant of the BMW Group, becoming the first MINI made in Germany. All other MINI models will be produced at the MINI factory in Oxford, which remains the core of MINI production. The UK will continue to be the birthplace of the MINI brand.
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