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Battery: 37-49kWh
Miles per kWh: 4.4
E-Rating™: A+
Max charge rate: 95 kW
Range: 190-249 miles
We loved the last MINI Electric. It was cute, good value and, most of all, it was fun to drive just like a MINI should be. But it had a big problem: the small battery. It’s a car we loved driving. But you can’t drive it for long as the range was…well, it didn’t get you very far.
Now, this all-new version still has those recognisably retro looks, but is bang up to date. You get the choice of a 36.6kWh usable battery capacity (41kWh total) in the MINI Cooper E, or the more powerful Mini Cooper SE gets a 49.2kWh battery (54kWh total). That’s good for a WLTP official range of between 190- and 249 miles. Even better news is that pricing starts from £30,000 - meaning that you get more driving range for the same money as the previous Mini, which makes it feel like great value. But, the electric car classes have moved on in that time and there are a lot of new, affordable electric cars for the Mini to compete with, including the Peugeot e-208, Fiat 500e, Volvo EX30 and - most worrying of all, for Mini - the Renault 5.
Anyway, regardless of the competition, the MINI still looks very cool. A bit different – smoother, more modern, and maybe those side mirrors look comically huge, but what is great is that the MINI has actually stayed small. Most cars these days get bigger with a new generation, but this new, electric MINI hatchback is a bit shorter than before, if a touch wider. It’s getting squarer, is what it is…
Range, Battery and Charging
As we’ve said, the electric MINI now has a bigger battery, so the Cooper E gets up to 190 miles of electric range according to official WLTP figures, while the bigger battery in the MINI Cooper SE gives it a range of up to 250 miles. Our test drive out in Barcelona, in torrential rain, wasn’t terribly representative of typical driving conditions but it’s safe to expect a real-world range of around 130- to 170 miles in the Cooper E, and 190- to 230 miles in the Cooper SE.
Rapid charging tops out at 75kW for the MINI Cooper E, and 95kW for the Cooper SE, so you’ll manage a 10-80% top-up in around 30 minutes on either of the new electric MINI models. Plug into a 7kW home charger, and a full charge will take seven hours for the smaller battery in the E, and eight hours in the SE.
Naturally, charging is done via a CCS and Type 2 socket (as does almost every electric car) which is compatible with the vast majority of public chargers in the UK and Western Europe.
Practicality and Boot space
The MINI Electric remains a three-door hatchback, only – they’re not doing a five-door hatchback, as they have done with the petrol Mini hatch, which is a bit annoying if you ask me. Still, there’s the new Countryman (which Ginny drove recently and really loved) and the Aceman if you do want a more practical, family-friendly electric MINI.
As it is, the electric MINI hatch is probably best for couples or individuals. The back seats can take two passengers, and while it’s a bit roomier back there than in the diminutive Fiat 500e, it’s still pretty pokey so your kids probably aren’t going to want to sit back there every day for the school run.
The boot is tiny, too. At 210 litres it’s actually a bit smaller than in the previous electric MINI, and the underfloor space is pretty limited, so you're better off with the slightly longer and more practical version of this car - the Mini Aceman - if you want more interior space. Or, the Renault 5 E-Tech, Citroen e-C3 and Fiat Grande Panda are much cheaper yet also get a bigger boots, five doors and a bit more rear passenger space than the Mini, if not quite the brand lustre and handling pizzaz.
The Smart #1, Volvo EX30 or MG4 are better bets if you’re after a stylish, £30,000-ish electric family car - or the MINI Countryman could also be a good bet.
Interior, Design/Styling and Technology
Inside, rather like the outside, takes elements of familiar MINI-ness and brings them bang up to date.
For a start, the big, round OLED infotainment touchscreen in the centre of the dash is a classic MINI feature. The system can be personalised, just like your phone screen, so that you can have a picture of your loved ones, or even a recreation of a dial from an original 1959 Mini. There’s also a variety of synthesised engine noises that the car makes to enhance the driving experience, which change depending on what drive mode it’s in. The one in ‘timeless mode’ is based on the engine noise of a 1974 Mini, with a bit of digital fettling, although I have to say it didn’t sound terribly ‘original Mini’ to me… Still a fun feature that you can enjoy playing about with, though.
Of course, there’s also a voice control system to help with all your needs (his name is Spike, and he’s very helpful, most of the time), but generally the touchscreen and its new, MINI Operating System 9 software is fairly easy to use.
I also very much like the fact that the MINI Electric has an optional head-up display, so that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to look at the speed on the central dial – as you do in the Volvo EX30 and Tesla Model 3.
Other than that, the liberal use of recycled textiles is really cool, and makes the interior look interesting, allows for lots of personalisation and makes everything feel quite tactile and classy. It’s definitely up there with the Volvo EX30 for originality and classiness, and is a bit better than the Fiat 500 for perceived quality.
Motors, Performance and Handling
The fun factor is strong, in the MINI Electric – it really does live up to the ‘go-kart’ handling claims in the Cooper SE that I drove.
The new steering wheel shape helps, no doubt, but the MINI really does encourage you to fling it through corners and enjoy the way it feels so direct and playful. I loved it; even in the pouring rain and on some tricky town roads, it felt really alert. So, if it’s a bit of a hot-hatch feel that you’re after actively enjoying the handling, even on that mundane journey to work.
It’s fast enough, too. Okay, so an MG4 XPower will have the MINI easily in a straight line, but even the MINI Cooper E gets 181bhp and will do 62mph in 7.3 seconds, while the SE gets 215bhp and does the same sprint in 6.7 seconds. You can choose from seven ‘MINI Experience’ modes, which affect everything from the ambient lighting to the synthesised noises that the motor makes, but three of those modes – Core, Green and Go-Kart – affect the steering weight and throttle response. Even in Green mode, it’s still fun to drive, so you can focus on efficiency and still have a giggle.
For all that, the MINI is also grown-up enough to be easy to live with every day. It’s quiet and comfortable enough that – if you’re game for the charging stops along the way – you can do hundreds of miles without ever feeling like you want or need a bigger.
Running Costs and Pricing
The MINI Electric starts at £30,000 for the Cooper E, while the Cooper SE costs £34,500. Standard equipment includes a heated steering wheel, cruise control, reversing camera and four paint colour options (including the Sunnyside Yellow that you see here). The MINI Cooper SE adds keyless entry, heated seats, a head-up display and wireless phone chargings, which is all the more reason – on top of the extra performance and range – that we reckon most people will go for the SE. Optional Level 2 pack adds a panoramic sunroof and Harman Kardon sound system, or Level 3 adds electric seat adjustment with massage function for the driver, additional semi-autonomous driving aids, and upgraded ‘augmented reality’ nav, which beams an arrow onto a live video stream of the road so that it makes it easier to see where your next turn is.
You can also choose from Classic, Exclusive or Sport trims, which affect the style features of the car including how many paint options you have, the interior trim options and the wheel size. Ultimately, the Cooper isn't a bad price at all given the premium image and quality, but you are paying quite a high price for that plushness over some rivals, including the Renault 5. Monthly deals could be closer than you'd think on the Mini and Renault, though, so do check those out before you make any final decisions.
Verdict
I really enjoyed my time with the MINI Electric, which strikes just the right tone of funky and image-conscious without being feeling overly forced or gimmicky. More importantly, it feels really classy and is brilliant fun to drive, as well as being decent value. I reckon it's going to be a big hit, but Mini really does need to make sure that those monthly finance deals are good, as the Renault does make it look rather pricey and a bit limited on practicality.
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