Saar: The sketches are from the MINI Electric Concept, which first broke cover during the IAA Cars 2017 show in Frankfurt.

MINI is well on its way to present its first-ever pure electric model next year. It will carry a host of design elements from the MINI Electric Concept, which first broke cover during the IAA Cars 2017 show in Frankfurt. That said, the pure electric MINI will not be the first electrified model from the BMW-owned British brand. That honour was taken by the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, which is a plug-in hybrid powertrain underneath, in 2017.

Now though, MINI has embarked on a journey to slowly unfold what all to expect in the production-ready model of the pure-electric model. In the first of several teasers to come, MINI has revealed a couple of design sketches which will be part of the pure-electric, 3-door Cooper model. The first of them is the design of the front grille. It is still geometrically hexagonal in shape but is closed off completely for better aerodynamics. A yellow bar, which stretches end-to-end, has an ‘E’ badge on it. That, at first glance, looks like a plug.

The second sketch is of the wheel design. It is identical to what was showcased with the Mini Electric Concept. MINI says no changes will be made to it when the car enters full-time production. Like the grille, the design of the wheels is unique and has an asymmetrical kick to it.

The first lot of the all-electric MINI will be assembled in Oxford. The company will produce the drivetrain in BMW’s Dingolfing and Landshut plants, both of which will become hubs for all future electric models wearing BMW and MINI logos. Earlier this month, the BMW Group penned a 50:50 joint venture agreement with Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motor to produce MINI electric vehicles. It is safe to speculate that in the not-so-far future BMW will also assemble the pure-electric MINI models in China, which is not just the largest automotive industry but also the biggest market for electric vehicles. Come to think of it, if Brexit becomes a bad deal for carmakers, BMW may have to shift all its production facilities out of the UK to countries like China, where things are favourable for carmakers on nearly all fronts.