The manufacturing of electrical automobiles at Mini’s Oxford plant has been delayed for an unconfirmed time, with the worldwide slowdown of EV gross sales blamed.

The choice was confirmed tonight by Mini Moeding Firm BMW Group. The German agency beforehand introduced that every one non-Chinese language market manufacturing of the Electrical Mini Cooper and Mini Aceman will transfer to Oxford in 2026.

Greater than £ 600m has already been spent on the readiness of the manufacturing facility, and the close by Swindon Physique Pers plant, for the manufacturing of electrical automobile. The cash primarily has an extension of the Physique Store, the development of a brand new space for battery set up and new logistics services funded – the latter has already been constructed.

A spokesman stated: “Given the a number of uncertainties dealing with the automotive trade, the BMW group is at present revising the timing for the reinstatement of battery electrical mini-production in Oxford.”

The spokesman added {that a} beforehand introduced authorities award – of an unspecified quantity – which might be invested within the plant above the money of BMW Group, will not be taken.

In 2024, gross sales of electrical autos stopped in Europe, with their market share shrinking barely from 15.7% in 2023 to fifteen.4%, based on figures from Jato Dynamics. It attributes the droop to the withdrawal of incentives, in addition to their excessive common worth.

The droop was additional highlighted as petrol fashions rose from a market share of 47.9% to 48.4% and hybrids grew from 9.9% to 11.8%.

It’s the slowdown of electrical automobiles; Automotive producers have already begun to rewrite their beforehand confirmed all-electric timelines. The folks like Mercedes-Benz and Audi, for instance, have expanded the lives of some hybrid fashions within the mild of falling EV gross sales.

Mini Oxford employs about 4,000 employees and manufactures automobiles for markets world wide, together with the UK. It’s at present constructing petrol engine variations of the brand new Cooper and from 2030 the transition to 100% EV manufacturing could be switched.

Beforehand introduced plans for the plant focused a prime manufacturing of 200,000 automobiles from each varieties between 2026 and 2030.

The plant started producing the BMW group’s first mini in 2000 and 19 years later {the electrical} model of the final era of Hatch. At its peak, the automobile was 1 / 4 of the manufacturing facility manufacturing final yr, making it the biggest producer of EVs within the UK.

It is a breaking information story. Extra to observe.