Future Mini Electric Bicycles Made in France with Angell

The automobile manufacturer BMW will use the French electric bike brand Angell to design and manufacture its Mini models in Burgundy.

On one side, BMW is a German car manufacturer that has been around for over a century, also boasting a strong motorcycle division, Motorrad. On the other side, Angell Mobility is a French startup specializing in connected electric bikes. Although they seem quite different, Angell and BMW are forming a partnership, announced on Thursday, March 2nd.

Mini bikes made in France

It is not a case of David versus Goliath, as the focus is on the French side. BMW, aiming to develop a line of electric bikes for its Mini brand, trusts Angell. The company founded by Marc Simoncini in 2018 will “design, develop, manufacture, and distribute a range of MINI electric bikes for a period of 5 years.” The current distribution network will expand to 35 sites in France and Europe by the end of 2023.

“This trust from a major industry player is a strong signal for us,” he declares, “an encouragement and a form of recognition that obliges us, of course, towards our new partner but also our clients and the Angell Mobility community.” The MINI electric bikes will thus be manufactured in France by Angell, at the Seb factory in Is-sur-Tille (Côte-d’Or).

Angell aims for two new bikes per year

Following the first model “Rapide” in 2020 and the second “Cruiser” in 2022, Angell also wants to accelerate. The company plans to launch “a new model every 6 months (compared to 18 months previously)”. Better than a lineup of standard e-bikes for wealthy city dwellers, the brand aims to reach a broader audience. Expect more versatile bikes, such as elongate, VTC, folding, or cargo models.

The first Mini electric bikes will arrive “from winter 2023/2024”. The two entities have not yet specified which types of bikes will be available, nor their prices.

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