BMW future-proofs the Mini by making it electric on its 60th birthday

WHAT looks like a Mini, drives like a Mini and costs much the same?

Er, an electric Mini?

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Correct.

BMW has kept us waiting longer than an expectant hippo but finally the first battery-powered Mini for the masses is here.

Well, almost.

You can order one today but it won’t arrive until March 2020.

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Here’s what you need to know.

Apart from the blobs of lime, fancy wheels and deleted poo chute, it looks no different to a standard three-door Mini.

You re-charge it from the same filler cap and the boot space is identical at 211 litres.

Mini quotes 124-144 miles per charge depending on how you drive and the instant torque of an electric motor means it has Cooper S performance.

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Prices start at £24,400 (including Government plug-in grant of £3,500) which is £2,000 cheaper than the bigger battery Vauxhall Corsa-e and several grand cheaper than the puppy-dog cute Honda “e”. I think I know which one will sell best and it starts with “M” and ends with “ini”.

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One last observation. There’s a giant sign at the Mini plant in Oxford that reads: “Mini. Made here. Driven everywhere.”

They could have written that 60 years ago when the first of ten million Minis hit the road – and they could still be using it 60 years from now, now that Mini has been future-proofed.

Happy birthday, Mini.