MINI ditches plans for an affordable Cabriolet

The topless version of the Mini Cooper EV won’t be coming to us in 2027, BMW Blog reports quoting inside sources. If the rumors are accurate, this isn’t a delay, either, but a full cancellation.

When it was introduced, the Cooper EV Cabrio looked like the MINI Cooper E that it was based upon and had the same powertrain. The cloth top was pretty much its only distinguishing feature.

For the motor, buyers of the regular Cooper E are currently choosing between two options – one rated at 184 PS (181 hp / 135 kW) and the other one at 218 PS (215 hp / 160 kW). Depending on the battery size, you got either 305 or 402 kilometers (190 or 250 miles) of range.

Apparently, the company is disappointed with increasingly poor sales of premium EVs worldwide. MINI had planned to produce the Cooper EV Cabriolet in two locations at once – its main factory in the UK and a branch in China. This may no longer be the case.

If you are still looking for a Cooper cloth top, consider the ICE version revealed last October (it’s in the gallery and the video here). You can option it with a 2.0-liter engine rated at 163 PS (161 hp / 120 kW) or pay extra for a JCW version and get 231 PS (228 hp / 170 kW) from the same displacement.