Home » Anteprima Francoforte 2017: MINI Electric Concept[:en]IAA 2017: The Mini Electric Concept anticipates the definitive version

Anteprima Francoforte 2017: MINI Electric Concept[:en]IAA 2017: The Mini Electric Concept anticipates the definitive version

PICCOLE SCOSSE. DOPO LA MINI E DEL 2008, IL COSTRUTTORE ANGLO-TEDESCO PRESENTA LA ELECTRIC CONCEPT MA, QUESTA VOLTA, SEMBRA ESSERE QUELLA BUONA. ANTICIPANDO CHE LA PROPULSIONE ELETTRICA SARA’ UN CAPOSALDO DELLA STRATEGIA DI VENDITA, E’ IL PROTOTIPO CHE ANTICIPA IL MODELLO DEFINITIVO.

Lo scorso luglio Mini ha annunciato che, in futuro, l’offerta di modelli a propulsione elettrica sarà uno dei pilastri della strategia commerciale del brand. In quest’ottica, la Mini Electric Concept è la concreta anticipazione del modello definitivo, che vedremo nel 2019.

Secondo la Casa Madre la Mini Electric Concept è “purista, moderna, dinamicamente efficiente”. E, grazie alla motorizzazione elettrica, può esprimere un design più ricercato, che non deve tenere conto – ad esempio – dei flussi d’aria necessari al raffreddamento di motori e radiatore. Ciò non toglie che, proprio l’efficienza, sia stata uno dei principi guida nella creazione del design: il frontale, con la calandra chiusa, presenta uno spoiler anteriore molto vistoso e prese d’aria laterali. Osservando la fiancata si può notare l’ulteriore audacia stilistica delle ruote da 19″ e delle minigonne laterali, con lame verticali in corrispondenza dei passaruota posteriori.

Le caratteristiche del powertrain, alimentato da batterie al litio, ancora non sono state rilasciate ma, naturalmente, MINI assicura che anche la sua versione elettrica si guiderà come un go-kart.

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THE NEW MINI ELECTRIC CONCEPT MARKS THE FINAL STRATEGY OF THE BRAND WHOSE AIM IS TO OFFER A CONCRETE PRODUCT LINE IN THE ZERO-EMISSION NICHE. WE’LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2019. NO WORDS ON ITS POWERTRAIN

Urban mobility is ingrained into the MINI brand’s DNA; the city is its natural habitat. For this reason the English brand showcases its take on future personal mobility in the city in the form of the MINI Electric Concept. It also brings the iconic design, city-dwelling heritage and customary go-kart feeling of the MINI brand into the electric mobility age. MINI will present an all-electric series-production model in 2019.

The responsive drive system, sublimely judged suspension tuning and use of aerodynamic add-ons produce driving dynamics very much in the MINI mould and a fine operating range.

DESIGN

The paint finish in Reflection Silver showcases the surfacing while colour gradients in the accent shade Striking Yellow, incorporated into both the roof and side skirts, add further flourishes. The colour of the roof flows from matt white to high-gloss yellow, while the yellow of the side skirts gains in transparency as it rises, appearing to merge into the body colour

As the electric drive unit requires very little cooling air, the radiator grille is closed for superior aerodynamics. The front apron’s simulated “air intakes” are also sealed, yet they still include dark louvres that look like cooling fins and inject some added technical flair. The crisp lines of elements such as the LED headlights and fibreglass structures contrast with the expanse of clear surfaces, and lend the front as a whole a very sophisticated look.

The design of the dark-coloured 19-inch wheels adds another visual highlight, picking up on the idea of the radiator grille’s accent bar and reinterpreting it in asymmetrical form. The aerodynamic inlays – made using a 3D printing process – echo the fibreglass structure of the air deflectors and inject the wheels with great aesthetic appeal. The recessed louvred surfaces in the simulated air intakes were also produced using a 3D printing method.

In the rear the upper section is dominated by clear surfaces, but the rear takes on a far more dynamic aspect as it cascades down. This familiar approach from MINI makes the shoulders appear broad and athletic. The rear light assemblies form one half of the Union Jack as an LED dot matrix. The rear apron features aerodynamic elements similar to those at the front, including air deflectors and a fibreglass diffuser.