‘The fear of a range that is too small no longer exists among MINI drivers’

In 2035, the ax will end for the combustion engine car in the European Union. Then the production of electric cars must be done in full. To achieve this, car brands must make every effort. This is currently a big challenge, because everything shows that the electric car market will suffer from a short-term cooling.

But not all car brands seem to suffer from this equally. At MINI, the future is largely positive. The brand uses almost the same strategy as parent company BMW, where it currently offers four-wheel drive and multiple powertrains.

This gives flexibility to move and market and at the same time respond to the wishes of customers. But basically there is a push towards electrification. Although the manufacturer of cool cars has its own challenges and advantages.

“We don’t want to force anything on our customers. That’s why it’s good that we still have petrol models at the moment,” says Coert Jan Krietemeijer, head of MINI Netherlands, to Business Insider Netherlands. “Otherwise you would suddenly isolate a group of customers who still want to continue driving gasoline, but do not want to switch to electricity. So it is good that we still have a few years to convince them to go electric.”

“I expect we will be at the top of the hill in three years. Then everyone will probably be more used. At least, I hope so,” laughs Krietemeijer. “And then, when you experience driving an electric car, you become a fan of it automatically.”

MINI fans are embracing electric driving

And MINI is new to the market. As MINI’s boss explains, MINI doesn’t bother too much with the often-cited resistance to electric cars.

Take, for example, the range, which remains a common topic of discussion, as well as the high price of electric four-wheelers. But the position of the original English brand and the ambitions associated with it ensure that MINI fans are largely embracing electric driving.

“MINI is more than a car for urban environments,” says Krietemeijer. “I think the fear of a range that is too small is no longer there among our customers. We find that people like a bigger range, especially if it means that they are less dependent on the charging station in the street. That if it is occupied, they can easily skip the day.

Krietemeijer also thinks that the MINI buyer will avoid the current anxiety in the market for the future. The second-hand market for electric cars is currently in a difficult situation due to reduced demand. This is due to the lack of transparency on subsidies, but also because the four electric wheels on offer functions with outdated technology. As a result, many have low payment speeds and small varieties.

“The range of vehicles that we offer now will remain outstanding for years to come. Also on the used market,” explains the CEO. Especially for shorter distances.”

The fact that rental and leasing companies, which are mainly responsible for the adoption of the electric car, are sounding the alarm because of the drop in residual values ​​is understandable, according to Krietemeijer. “I think they started using a large number of the same electric cars very quickly. And of course it’s difficult for a company like that to sell those cars in bulk as used cars after restoration.”

Demand for electric vehicles from the commercial market continues to grow

In terms of price, the electric MINIs are positioned in such a way that they can at least use the SEPP purchase subsidy, which will total 2,950 euros for new cars in 2024. All electric MINIs can currently be had for less than 45,000 euros, the threshold level of qualify for a grant.

However, Krietemeijer does not want to say much about the future of the purchase subsidy and other benefits that electric drivers enjoy. He says that he would like to see the government provide clarification. At the same time, according to Krietemeijer, the market for electric vehicles continues to grow, mainly due to demand from the business market. For example, companies are increasingly forcing employees to rent an electric car instead of a four-wheeler with a combustion engine.

Normally, MINI makes use of the grants as long as they are available. But according to Krietemeijer, MINI also has a huge advantage that the brand does not have to compete too much on price. So he says that “MINI has no competitors”, although he explains that he does not mean this literally.

“We are charting our own path. We especially want to continue to differentiate ourselves and we do this with MINI’s specific characteristics,” says Krietemeijer. In addition to the fact that MINI has always had a distinctive appearance, each model also has a special driving characteristic: “The MINI drives like a go -kart.”

MINI has a distinct advantage over other brands on the market: the electric drive reinforces this character trait. “Of course we’ve always had that go-kart feeling in our MINIs and now with the new models, with the batteries down, they just go around the bends well,” says Krietemeijer while making steering movements with his hands. “That’s a typical MINI trait that has been reinforced again.”

MINI

‘We have a very good chance’

It’s hard to predict if a brand will win with a carefully crafted character. MINI has the advantage of a group of customers who accept the disadvantages of electric driving and at the same time are willing to pay an additional fee to be allowed to drive.

The question remains whether this is enough to convince the customer now that he is looking at a completely new (electric) car market, with all the challenges and problems that come with it. Can MINI successfully translate the values ​​and character it has been building for years into an electric future?

Krietemeijer thinks so: “With MINI we are now in a very good position. We are seeing growth, especially in electric vehicles. And with a new range of models, all of which are available as an electric variant, I look forward to the future with confidence.

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