This Is Our First Look at the Mini Countryman EV

• Mini plans to begin production of the next-gen Countryman as both an EV and as an internal-combustion model in Leipzig, Germany, in 2024.

• The automaker could rely on the powertrain of the BMW iX1, which debuted in Europe last year, for the electric version of the 2025 Countryman.

• Mini plans a number of new models in the coming years, including a crossover and another small SUV positioned alongside the Countryman.

Mini has already made known its intention to become an EV-only brand by 2030, but so far we've only seen just a couple of electric models from the brand. That's about to change, as the automaker gets ready to launch an electric version of the Countryman in 2024.

Mini revealed the first image of the battery-electric version of its largest model, giving the EV world a preview of the model we'll see next year. As expected, the Countryman will retain the overall profile and size of the current model, but its design details are bound to be a little different, with rectangular headlights being just one of the changes we could see in the next-gen model.

Also, it will be the first Mini to be produced in Germany, with the Countryman slated to share assembly line space with small BMWs.

"The new Mini Countryman comes off the production line in Leipzig together with the BMW 1 Series, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer," the automaker noted. "This makes the location the first plant at which vehicles of the BMW and Mini brands are manufactured together, once again demonstrating maximum flexibility."

What can we expect from the EV version of the Countryman?

We've already received a good hint regarding the Mini's likely powertrain from the electric BMW iX1, which debuted in 2022. The SUV, which is staying on its side of the Atlantic for the moment, is powered by a 64.7-kWh battery, giving the dual-motor, AWD layout 308 hp and 364 lb-ft of torque. The Countryman is expected to borrow this recipe, which in the BMW is good for about 273 miles in the WLTP cycle. Whether the Mini will promise this exact figure is doubtful, but the iX1 could be viewed as a general preview of what the MIni could offer.