Mini debuts its first all-electric Cooper
Mini took the covers off its all-electric Cooper SE earlier in July, showing off a hatchback designed to make city driving emissions-free. Sporting classic Mini styling, the car is not easy to recognize at first glance as an all-electric vehicle.
The new EV makes a respectable 181 horsepower and 199 poundfeet of torque from its 135-kw electric motor, enough to dodge and weave through downtown traffic. It’s also enough to get the small hatch to 96 km/h from zero in 7.3 seconds, which is about the same as a turbocharged three-cylinder Mini.
The Mini SE is based on the older i3 platform. The 32.6-kwh battery will help the SE reach a range of about 295 km, which is slightly down from what we’re seeing with other brands’ recent EVS.
The battery can be charged up to 80 per cent in 35 minutes or less with a fast charger, and can also be charged using a standard 120-volt house outlet or Level 2 charger.
Inside the cabin, the Mini is standard fare; not much has changed except for some colour-matched switches and lights. The large central information screen is still there, with touch screens available in 5.5-, 6.5- and 8.8-inch sizes. Apple Carplay and wireless charging are also available.
While Mini has said we should expect the Cooper SE in North America, it hasn’t released a timeline for when that will happen. We expect it to be a little more expensive than the Cooper S.