Mini Electric
GOODBYE
£30,900 OTR/£33,900 as tested/£427pcm
WHY IT’S HERE
Is the electric Mini also the best?
DRIVER
Jason Barlow
YOU’VE GOT TO STEP AWAY FROM THE MINI ELECTRIC FOR A WHILE to uncover its superpower After a day being soothed by Mercedes’ magnificent new S Class I realised what had been staring me in the face all along the Mini BEV is a hot hatch It’s also resolutely a Mini
This is both its strength and weakness
Here’s the thing for me and EVs I’m too fixated on extracting the maximum range to open the taps on a B road It seems counter intuitive to drive a ‘green’ car like your trousers are aflame especially when it’s range limited and each electron is so precious
Having said that the E is arguably the best fast Mini available It looks chunkier than the Honda e but is almost kg lighter and though it will torque steer if you drive like an oaf mostly it darts from apex to apex and steers as sweetly as a ‘proper’ ICE fast hatch With the addition of that instant torque slam you get from an EV It even has a Sport button
Then there’s the Mini bit Post Brexit the Union Jack motifs sprinkled about the place are more ironic than ever but props to the good folk in the Mini Oxford plant for the excellent job they do in building the things This is a joyful car to operate and feels genuinely premium
And as an EV? It works assuming it’s not your only car and you have a wallbox It’s actually very e cient our average consumption was almost bang on the claimed range and up there with the likes of the Model and Hyundai Ioniq But it’s not designed for long hauls there’s no doubt a circa mile range would act as the necessary Valium for the anxious
Honestly I loved this thing The EV landscape is now studded with contenders and much homework is required to winkle out the best deals and to understand the infrastructure But be in no doubt this is the future it feels good and the Mini Electric ticks pretty much every box
SPECIFICATION
Electric motor, 32.6kWh battery, FWD, 181bhp
3.9 miles per kWh, 141 miles 0–62mph in 7.3secs, 93mph 1,365kg MILEAGE: 4,372 OUR MPKWH: 3.6
GOOD STUFF
Fast, great fun to drive, beautifully engineered and built.
BAD STUFF
Real-world range is sub-optimal, ride quality is harsh, rear is cramped.