MINI Recharged Project, the brand's classics will go electric

More and more brands are joining the trend of electromods, that is, converting their classic cars into battery-powered vehicles, purely electric models. The latest to join this movement is MINI, which has presented its Recharged Project. This proposal from the British brand seeks to offer its customers the chance to own a classic model with an electric powertrain.

All of this came after the excellent reception of an electric prototype based on an old model. Following the presentation, MINI set up a plant at its facilities in Oxford to create a workshop specialising in this type of work. The proposal has taken hold and several units are now being worked on to fit them with an electric motor and battery.

New powertrain for a renewed life

The company has not given many details about the project, but it is known that the classic models that pass through its hands have their original combustion engine removed. In its place, an electric motor producing 90 kW, equivalent to 122 CV, is installed. This allows acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in nine seconds.

To power the motor, the models carry a battery that promises a range of 160 kilometres. This distance is not very high, but according to MINI it will allow users to drive through the city centres of large cities without problems from restrictions.

The car’s original appearance is not altered, which is worth bearing in mind. That said, a charging port and several elements on the dashboard are added for charge control and other necessary information. But this instrumentation keeps the retro look, so it does not stand out too much inside.

Another important point is that the original engine is tagged and stored, in case the owner wants to reverse the process at some point. In the future, MINI intends to contact artists who offer their own particular vision of the classic car, creating genuine works of art out of cars that refuse to fade into oblivion.