The new MINI Cooper is revealed as MINI’s new electric offering, with up to 250-mile range and new tech. ICE versions to follow.
This is the electric version of the new MINI, although petrol versions will arrive soon and look much the same, they won’t be based on the same Chinese EV platform as this car.
Coming in two versions, there’s a Cooper E with a 40.7kWh battery powering a 181bhp electric motor with range of 190 miles, and a Cooper SE with a 54.2kWh battery powering a 215bhp motor and good for 250 miles.
As we saw back in April, MINI has gone the minimalist route with the new MINI’s design, eschewing all trinkets – like chrome and plastic cladding – for a smooth look, with a wheel at each corner for better packaging (although the boot actually shrinks a bit), new octagonal grille at the front, round headlights and a choice of running light and taillight signatures.
Inside it’s more MINI minimalist, with the big round dial in the centre that’s been a feature since the Mini first arrived in 1959, only now it’s a tech-laden ultra-slim OLED screen 9.4″ across which fills the entire round screen with info, including speed, running MINI’s OS9 with a choice of themes.
MINI Experience modes on offer are Core, Green, Go-Kart, Personal, Vibrant, Timeless and Balance delivering everything from a classic Mini speedo to a personal background photo and comes with its own sounds, as well as ambient lighting, and Cloud-based Nav. Oddly, as the OS is Android-based, Android Auto displays as a square image whilst Apple CarPlay fills the circle.
The new MINI will come in three trim offerings – Classic, Exclusive and Sport – with Classic getting a ‘knitted’ interior with fake black leather, Exclusive with a Houndstooth pattern and Sport with multi-coloured knitted textiles and contrast red stitching. Tech stuff includes MINI Park Assist Plus, Digital Key Plus and 360 view monitoring.
Deliveries of the new electric MINI will start next spring, with the entry-level model from £30k.
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