Back in 2021, Biogena purchased 82 MINI Cooper SE electric hatchbacks as company cars to help decarbonize its fleet. The company is now increasingly relying on electric vehicles and has ordered the largest fleet of emission-free MINIs in Austria. By the first quarter of 2026, no fewer than 126 vehicles without combustion engines will be delivered.
These press photos show that Biogena has already received 59 vehicles of the new MINI Cooper generation “J01”. The handover event took place at the company headquarters in Salzburg. Once all vehicles have been delivered, Biogena will have the second largest fleet of electric MINIs in Europe.
You may be wondering which company takes the top spot. This distinction belongs to Deloitte. The London-based professional services network purchased 100 electric vehicles in 2020. The following year, another 140 were added, bringing the total to 240 all-electric MINIs.
Back to Biogena: The new cars were ordered via MINI’s direct sales system, which was introduced in October 2024. With 126 cars, this is the largest fleet delivery to date via the agency model. According to the BMW-owned car manufacturer, more than half of MINIs registered in Austria are part of fleet sales, with around 56% registered as company cars.
To further reduce emissions, Biogena says half of the energy used to charge its electric MINIs is produced locally. The company claims to save 84,000 kilograms of CO₂ annually through its electric vehicle fleet and its own energy generation.
In the first half of 2025, MINI sales in Austria increased by over 24%, with electric vehicle deliveries increasing by more than 160%. Currently only MINI operates the agency model, but the core brand BMW is planning direct sales from 2027.
So what exactly is the agency model? Under this arrangement, cars are sold directly to customers by the automaker, while dealers receive a fixed commission for each sale. The manufacturer owns the vehicles and sets nationwide prices to ensure consistency across all locations.
At least in theory, everyone benefits: retailers continue to generate sales, BMW and MINI reduce costs and customers benefit from transparent and uniform prices, no matter where they buy.
Photos: MINI Austria
