We’ve been waiting an awfully long time for an electric hot hatch. While the switch from analogue to digital has heralded a new era of torque-led performance that sees electric family saloons trouncing the piston-powered establishment without breaking a sweat, no EV has yet managed to capture the sheer joy of driving quite like a hot hatch can. But with the arrival of the new Mini Cooper Electric SE, that wait could potentially be over.
Revealed ahead of next week’s IAA Mobility show in Munich, the heavily previewed new Mini Cooper Electric marks the beginning of the hatchback’s fifth generation and, hopefully, the advent of the EV pocket rocket. The inaugural Mini Electric certainly came close, successfully transitioning to battery power without watering down the Hatch’s inherent perkiness. But it could feel a tad lethargic in corners and its 144-mile range was pretty paltry, even by 2020 standards.
Thankfully, the new model seeks to address all that and more. The electric model is now built on a bespoke platform developed in conjunction with Chinese motoring giant Great Wall, with production set to be based in the country. So the Mini Cooper Electric is no longer an adapted version of the combustion car – it’s now a proper, ground-up EV.
That means it no longer houses the powertrain from the BMW i3 S, and instead receives all-new battery and motor options. And while the old car was only available in one flavour, we now have two: the E and the SE. Go for the latter and you’ll get 218hp and 242lb ft of torque, which Mini claims is good enough to hit 62mph from a standstill in a hot hatchy 6.7 seconds. Meanwhile, the entry-level E manages the same 184hp output as the old car, but with more torque and a faster 0-62 time at 214lb ft and 7.3 seconds respectively.
The real gains, however, come from the new batteries. With the previous car packing just 32.6kWh (of which only 28.9kWh were useable), the new SE grows to 54.2kWh for a WLTP range of 250 miles – 106 miles more than the old model. Even the regular E posts an improved range, with its 40.7kWh pack posting a WLTP score of 190 miles. Find a 100kW DC charger and you’ll be able to top up from 10 to 80 per cent battery in ‘under 30 minutes’; six minutes quicker than before.
All very sensible, but can it be silly? Well, yes, if the ‘Go-Kart Mode' is anything to go by. Activating it prompts a settings menu to appear, giving you control over steering response and, as Mini puts it, the ‘intervention limits of traction control to ensure more driving fun.’ Not convinced? Well, elsewhere the wheelbase and track width have increased, with the suspension and damping retuned for better body control. There’s no official weight figure just yet, but it’ll almost certainly be heavier than a standard Cooper S. Hopefully the tweaks, helped by the bulky battery being stashed under the cabin, mean the new model is able to disguise its mass more effectively than its processor.
Step inside and your eyes will likely be drawn to the massive display in the centre of the dashboard. It measures in at 240mm in diameter and, according to Mini, is the world’s first ‘fully useable’ circular display. The good news is that you still get physical buttons and dials for the climate controls, and Mini has resisted the urge to cram its steering wheel full of touch pads. However, there’s no instrument panel, with speed and the car’s battery status now relayed on the centre screen.
Looks rather smart from the outside, doesn’t it? According to Mini design chief Oliver Heilmer, the company’s new design language is inspired by Minis of old. “We call it ‘Charismatic Simplicity’. The idea behind it is a design that gives each new MINI model a strong, individual character and is characterised by a clear, reduced design language intuitively focused on the essentials of the brand”, he says. Love or loathe them, the rear lights still resemble the Union Jack, though it’s not quite as conspicuous as it was on older models you may (or may not) be glad to hear.
As for pricing, the Mini Cooper Electric E kicks off at £30,000 on the road, which rises to £35,000 for the SE. We’ll be getting three trim levels in the UK: Classic is the more simple, understated model of the range, while Exclusive unlocks a vibrant mix of colours. Sport, meanwhile, brings new front and rear bumpers, plus the option to slap on some bonnet stripes. Encouragingly, an electrified JCW model is set to follow in time. But you won’t have to wait long to get your hands on a standard one, with first deliveries due in spring 2024.
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