The new-look Mini Cooper electric has been teased quite a bit over the last few months but BMW has finally revealed the full package to the public just ahead of the IAA Mobility show in Munich. However, T3 got an exclusive preview of the new models in advance and I can confirm they are pretty special.
Firstly, there’s been a subtle change to the naming of the cars. The Cooper designation now refers to all of the Mini hatchback models, rather than just the sportier ones. The Countryman remains the name for the larger SUV Mini, and it’s bigger than ever.
Perhaps the best news for Mini electric fans is that the range has been drastically improved. While the previous Mini Electric offered a 143-mile range, the new Mini Cooper Electric offers up to 250 miles of range. The new Mini Countryman Electric offers up to 287 miles of range.
Mini Cooper Electric E/SE
The new Mini Cooper Electric comes in two versions, the E and SE, the main diference between the two being the size of the battery and therefore the range. The Mini Cooper Electric E has a 54.2kWh battery and a range of 190 miles, while the Mini Cooper SE has a 40.7kWh battery and a range of 250 miles. With thatbigger battery also comes increased performance. The SE has 218hp, compared to 184hp from the E, and a 0-62mph of 6.7 seconds rather than 7.3 seconds.
While the exterior still has the classic Mini charm the design has been simplified slightly, giving the car a fresh feel. The chrome and is gone, as is the wheel arch trims, the door handles are flush and there’s a new octagonal grill giving the car its friendly face.
The LED headlights now offer three light signatures for the daylight running lights and on the rear, you can now switch between layouts too. So if you’re not a fan of the Union Jack lighting, you can swap to one of the alternative arrangements.
Inside the Cooper Electric, as we’ve seen already, the design has been simplified too. A single 240mm diameter round OLED screen provides all of the driving information, from speed and navigation to music and climate control. There is a handy head-up display here too, helping you to keep your eyes on the road.
The new Mini Operating System 9 is designed to reflect the fun elements in the Mini personality. This comes through with the seven experience modes, offering themes like Go-Kart mode for a John Cooper Works sporty look and the Timeless mode for a classic Mini look. There’s also a personal mode, which allows you to add your own photo to the display. There’s also a new voice-assistant, accessed by saying, “Hey Mini” and a choice of animated character for the assistant – either a stylised Mini or Spike the dog.
Prices for the Mini Cooper Electric start from £30,000 for the E and £34,500 for the SE model with deliveries from Spring 2024.
Mini Countryman Electric E/SE All4
The Countryman is available for the first time in a fully electric model. The Mini Countryman E and SE All4 both feature a 64.7kWh battery that offers a range of up to 287 or 269 miles respectively. The E uses a single electric motor to deliver 204hp and a 0-62mph of 8.6 seconds. The SE All4 uses dual motors for all-wheel-drive and delivers 313hp and a 0-62mph of 5.6 seconds. The new third-gen Countryman will also be available in Petrol models.
While the Countryman has always been the ‘big Mini’, this model is bigger still, growing by 6cm in height and 13cm in length to give more room inside. The exterior design has been tweaked too. Following in the footsteps of the Cooper, it offers cleaner lines with flush door handles and an octagonal grill. The front headlights are a distinctive shape and the alternatively coloured roof, wing mirrors and skirts play to the car’s stature.
Like the new Cooper, both the headlights and rear lights can be adjusted to have three different displays. One of which is still the Union Jack design on the rear, which though devise, still looks cool in my opinion.
Inside the Countryman is a similar design to the Cooper too. Using a single circular OLED display as the only screen in the car – supplemented by a head-up display for the driver. Despite being a very different car from the Cooper the clean design looks just as at home here, with a textile surface to the curved dash.
The biggest thing about the new Countryman though isn’t just the size. This is the first Mini to offer an advanced Level 2 autonomous driving capability. In addition to the Driving Assistance Plus package, which includes active cruise control, lane assistance and steering assist, it includes an automatic lane change for exit slipways and at speeds of up to 37 mph, hands-free (but eyes on) driving. I can’t wait to try this out on the road.
The Mini Countryman Electric starts from £41,500 for the E and £46,600 for the SE All4. The new petrol models start from £28,500.
