BMW has confirmed it is to invest hundreds of millions of pounds to prepare its Mini factories at Cowley and Swindon to build latest generation and all-new electric models from 2026.

BMW said it will spend £600 million on revamping the Cowley plant, including developing production lines, extending the body shop as well as building battery installation and additional logistics facilities at Cowley and at its Swindon body panel factory.

This will prepare for two new all-electric Mini models from 2026, the Mini Cooper 3-door and the new-launch compact crossover Mini Aceman. By, 2030, it is planned that production volume will be exclusively electric with the BMW Group having spent over £3 billion on its Swindon, Hams Hall and Oxford plants since 2000.

The Mini plant in Oxford currently produces the Mini 3-door, the Mini 5-door as well as the Mini Clubman and the Mini Electric. From 2024 the plant will start producing the next generation Mini 3-door and Mini 5-door with combustion engines, as well as the new Mini Convertible, before they are joined by the new all-electric vehicles in 2026.

The factory will reach a production capacity of around 200,000 cars per year in the medium term, with ICE and battery electric vehicles initially being built on the same production line. From 2030, the Oxford Plant will produce all-electric Mini models exclusively.