You heard that it is coming and it has now arrive, well, kind of. We are talking about the purely electric drive MINI, the MINI Cooper SE. The looks appeared to be the same as we have seen a couple of years ago. Then again, isn’t that the same for all MINIs? Those cheeky folks at BMW marketing division, gleefully lets you on its “combined fuel consumption” which is 0.0 l/100 km. Well played, BMW. Well played.
On a serious note, though, the MINI Cooper SE does boasts a combined power consumption of 15-13.2 kWh/100 km and obviously, it has zero CO2 emission. It is an electric drive, so spontaneous power delivery, which in this case all 135 kW (185 HP) of it, is expected. The electric drive is paired to a “model-specific” lithium-ion battery good for between 235 and 270 kilometers on a single charge.
Like many electric vehicle before it, it has the battery system under the floor, allowing for more cargo space in the vehicle. But really, it won’t much because, it isn’t driven by hub motors; the electric motor is still where the IC engine used to be. Here’s a run down of the highlights of the MINI Cooper SE:
• First MINI and first small car in the premium segment to run on electrical power only.
• Electric motor with 135 kW/184 hp and 270 Nm.
• Model-specific lithium-ion battery enables range of 235 to 270 kilometers – without constraints in terms of luggage compartment volume.
• Can be charged at a household socket, wallbox or public charging stations, fast direct-current charging possible at up to 50 kW.
• Outstanding agility due to spontaneous power delivery, low center of gravity, front-wheel drive and wheel slip limiting close to the actuator.
• Acceleration from zero to 60 km/h in 3.9 seconds and from zero to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.
• Characteristic design of the MINI 3 Door with model-specific accentuation.
• Model-specific display and control elements in the interior.
• Recuperation can be configured at two levels for individual one-pedal feeling.
• Standard equipment features include LED headlamps, 2-zone automatic air conditioning, heating with heat pump technology, auxiliary heating, electric parking brake and Connected Navigation.
As you have read, notwithstanding its “unimpressive” power output, this little guy is fast. Like, super fast. So, if you want a MINI that truly fast, this is it. Though the top speed of 150 km/h (about 93 mph) does leave much to be desired. The list above did say, but yes, the MINI Cooper SE does have regenerative braking.
As the post title says, the books for the MINI Cooper SE is open. Well, at least, it is in Germany, the U.K., France, Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. You can now pre-order a unit in the said countries for a modest £500 (about US$623) deposit. We do not know, however, when it will be delivered (it is definitely not this year) or how much it will run you back. I am not going to order one to find out and so, we shall leave it to you to take the dive.
According to the FAQ, pricing information, along with model information and specification, will be disclosed in September 2019. Meanwhile, skip ahead for the official promo video.
All images courtesy of BMW AG.
