BMW investment secures future of Mini factories

BBC: German car giant BMW has announced plans to invest hundreds of millions of pounds to prepare its Mini factory near Oxford to build a new generation of electric cars.
Production of two new electric Mini models is due to begin at the plant in Cowley in 2026.
The move is expected to safeguard the future of the facility, as well as that of another factory in Swindon.
More than 4,000 people currently work across the two sites.
BMW will spend £600 million on updating the Cowley plant, developing the production lines, extending its body shop and building a new area for 
installing batteries.

It also plans to build additional logistics facilities at Cowley and at the Swindon factory - which makes body panels for 
new vehicles.
This will allow two next-generation electric designs, the Mini Cooper and the larger Mini Aceman, to be built at Cowley alongside conventional cars.
A third electric model, the Countryman, will be made 
in Germany.
The UK investment will be backed by funding from the government’s Automotive Transformation Fund - understood to be worth 
£75 million.
Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of UK industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, called the announcement a “vote of confidence” in the country’s automotive manufacturing industry.

“Not only does it secure the long-term future of the home of one of the world’s most iconic brands, it also demonstrates once again our capabilities in electric vehicle production,” he said.
“Investments such as this improve productivity and help deliver jobs, growth and economic benefits for the country.”
With the Mini brand expected to go fully electric by 2030, BMW’s decision is vital to the future of the two UK factories.
The first electric Mini was launched at the Cowley plant in 2019.But last year, the company confirmed production of most of its electric cars would move to China, where the new models have been developed in partnership with Great Wall Motor.At the time, BMW suggested that building both conventionally-fuelled and electric cars in the same factory was inefficient.
Now, that plan has clearly changed.

Production of the new models will begin next year at Great Wall’s factory in Zhangjiagang - with Cowley now expected to start building them as well in 2026.