Mini Cooper SE is electric

Recently announced – the Mini Cooper SE is coming to South Africa. This is an all-new fully electric car that is incredibly affordable. Mini claims to have found that “sweet spot” between an effective electric and cost. 

Cooper SE’s design 

There’s nothing ‘special’ about the design of this car. It was made to look like a Cooper, and it does that. What does stand out the most are the asymmetrical wheels inspired by British power outlets. The other notable feature is the bright green highlights which are Mini’s way of saying, “this is electric.” These highlights will be optional on release.

What can the Mini Cooper SE do? 

The Cooper SE has taken some bits and pieces from BMW, a notable trend coming form the other manufacturer’s that BMW own. It has the same power train as the i3, powered by a 32.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which has 135kW and 270Nm. Like all other Cooper’s, the SE is also front-wheel drive.

With its heavy battery hidden underneath the car, it doesn’t break the scale. Weighing in at 1365 kilograms, the battery has been well placed to not take away any interior space.

The SE does not reach incredible speeds, only getting to a max of 150km/h. However, it does reach 0-100 in 7.1 seconds. It’s not bad for this car, and despite the speed, it is still incredibly fun to drive. Keep in mind, with an electric, the power is immediate and compared to its competition, it handles incredibly well. 

One of the most important numbers for an electric car is range. The SE does manage to have a decent range of about 270 kilometers. So, it can do the commute from Johannesburg to Pretoria and back and include a trip to the shops just fine. The battery gets to 80 percent in 35 minutes at a charging station, which is the most time effective amount on the road with a wait of 1.5 hours for 100 percent. With Mini’s 11-kilowatt wall box, it will take about 3.5 hours to get to 100 percent. 

It’s important to remember that lithium batteries are affected by temperature. The hotter the weather, the shorter your range. So the SE’s range could be a little unpredictable with South African weather, however, it won’t lose so much that we need to be concerned about getting home.

Opening the doors to the Cooper SE

Inside the SE, it feels exactly like a Mini should. The bright green comes back in small amounts and there are two screens in the car. The first is one of the best infotainment systems on the market and the other, a new digital display system behind the steering wheel.

Turning the car on, you are met with some friendly ‘beeping’ which is very fun.

It will come to South Africa 

But not when we want it to. While the official launch is in March 2020, Mini has said we can expect it to reach our shores in the first quarter of 2021. Right now, it’s the cost-effective electric, but what of it in a years’ time?

Source: CARmag | Jalopnik | What Car?