Urbanaut shows Mini’s EV thinking – minus chrome, leather

June 30, 2021June 30, 2021 Toby Hagon 1809 Views

The future for Mini is looking bigger, bolder and wilder than ever with the reveal of the Vision Urbanaut concept – and that future is set to ditch traditional materials such as chrome and leather.

Previously shown in digital form, Mini has brought the all-electric concept car to life as a one-off that showcases the brand’s thinking in a world of electric motoring, sustainability and autonomous driving.

Clearly the small car brand is thinking big for its radical lifestyle EV.

Mini Vision Urbanaut electric concept car

Mini has committed to an all-electric future by 2030 and the Urbanaut gives an insight into the British brand’s thinking.

The Urbanaut is larger than anything Mini has unleashed on the roads previously – in part because it’s designed to exist in a world with the car is a lot more than a means of transport.

At 4.46m long the Urbanaut is almost half a metre longer than Mini’s five-door Clubman and Countryman. It has a silhouette more reminiscent of another motoring icon, the Volkswagen Kombi (which VW plans to revive).

“With our eyes fixed on the future, we have developed an idea, with the Mini Vision Urbanaut, of how we can take the Mini attributes – with the focus on the ‘Clever Use of Space’ – into the future of mobility and interpret them in a typically MINI way,” said head of Mini Bernd Körber, adding that it “could provide an answer to the needs of future cities and lifestyles”.

“It brings the user’s personal space into the car and opens up various possibilities for them, from creating an urban oasis to experiencing freedom in the ‘Wanderlust’ moment.”

Inside Mini has thrown out its well-used handbook on how to inject the original Mini into its modern offerings.

Instead it’s a more modern space complete with plants and a retro-infused mix of yellow and green pastels.

There’s no leather because Mini has already committed to ditching cow hide and instead focusing on sustainable materials. They’re made from wood, wool and polyester and, like the Mazda MX-30, there’s even cork in the cabin.

There’s even a Mini fragrance developed for the concept to bring the “waft of something intangible, refreshing and unexpected”.

The Urbanaut is also designed to serve as a mobile office or “headquarters for retail”.

And like any truly flexible futuristic vehicle it even incorporates a bed: the dashboard has a padded finish to allow you to soak up the rays during a powernap.

And if you get bored of the colours, they’re designed to be changed during the life of the vehicle.

While it’s more Jetsons than anything likely to rumble into a Mini dealership anytime soon, the Vision Urbanaut does give big hints to Mini’s thinking.

The interchangeable finishes, for example, is something we could easily seeing heading down the production line.