When the £600m investment was announced, production of the electric Mini Cooper and the electric Mini Aceman crossover SUV at the site was forecast tobegin in 2026, marking a U-turn for BMW who previously wanted to export production to cheaper factories in China.
In 2023, the German carmaker, which has owned Mini since 2000, announced the investment to upgrade its Cowley plant for electric production of the Mini.
BMW Group has paused a £600m investment into a Mini car assembly plant on the outskirts of Oxford, amid a declining demand for electric vehicles.
“Given the multiple uncertainties facing the automotive industry, the BMW Group is currently reviewing the timing for reintroducing battery-electric Mini production in Oxford,” the company confirmed in a statement.
The carmaker said Plant Oxford was “at the heart of Mini production, manufacturing and exporting a range of models which are sought after in the UK and around the world”.