MINI Electric revealed
Official details on new supermini with a 124-mile range
THIS is the MINI Electric – a car that the British firm says is as groundbreaking as the model that heralded the brand’s reinvention back in 2001.
Launched on the 60th anniversary of the original 1959 Mini, it’s the brand’s first mass-produced all-electric vehicle. It will compete against models such as the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa-e and is on sale now, priced from £24,400. First deliveries are due to begin in March 2020.
While you’ll find a Cooper S badge on the boot, the new car is actually called MINI Electric in the UK. The Cooper S badge is used to denote the level of the car’s performance. Under the bonnet there’s a 181bhp electric motor from the BMW i3S, powered by a 32.5kWh battery. It allows the Electric, MINI claims, to get from 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds and hit a top speed of 93mph. It also quotes a WLTP range of between 124 and 144 miles.
Flick open the charging flap (positioned where the petrol filler cap would be) and you’ll find Type 2 and CCS charging ports. However, only a charging cable with a three-pin plug is supplied as standard.
Use a 50kW rapid DC charger, and you can expect an 80 per cent top-up in 35 minutes. AC 11kW charging takes 2.5 hours for 80 per cent or 3.5 hours for a full charge.
The battery is positioned horizontally down the middle of the car where the petrol-powered Cooper S’s exhaust system and transmission would normally lie. Consequently, space in the rear seats and boot remains the same as in conventional petrol and diesel versions of the MINI.
The Electric sits 15mm higher than the standard MINI hatchback, there are new front and rear bumpers, and flashes of bright yellow bodywork mark it out. But, buyers can change these to black, grey or a body-coloured finish if desired.
Inside there’s also a smattering of yellow trim and buttons, including the Start/Stop toggle switch. The centre console has a new infotainment scroll wheel and the Cooper S’s manual handbrake has been replaced with an electric one. The analogue rev counter has also been ditched for an elliptical screen displaying speed and range data.
Three trim levels will be offered, but MINI has yet to confirm what they’ll be called. In the meantime, basic equipment will consist of cloth seats, a 6.5-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and sat-nav (including charging station info), cruise control and automatic air-conditioning. Paint choices are limited to silver or grey.
Mid-spec cars add cloth and leatherette seats, keyless entry, heated seats, a parking camera and MINI logo puddle lamps. Topspec Electrics get ‘Lounge’ leather trim, an 8.8-inch touchscreen, wireless charging and more colour and wheel choices.
The range kicks off at £24,400, with the mid-spec version at £26,400 and £30,400 for the range-topper; that’s after the Government’s Plug-in Car Grant is deducted.
“MINI claims 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds, a top speed of 93mph and a WLTP range of up to 144 miles“