With the new generation of Cooper, Mini is shifting its entire approach to cars, prioritizing the electric versions over those that burn fuel. That’s why, even though the all-new Mini Cooper will also come with gas power, the automaker first revealed it as the fully electric Cooper SE, and it didn’t even mention combustion variants.
The all-new electric Mini three-door may look familiar and somewhat similar to the outgoing model, yet it is completely new underneath, and the more you observe its details, the more differences you start to see.
Let’s look at the biggest changes and improvements that this new generation brings over its predecessor.
1. It’s an All-New Vehicle
Mini isn’t a manufacturer that revolutionizes the design of its models whenever it launches a new generation, like BMW did withthe new 5 Series. The all-new Mini Cooper’s look owes everything to evolution, not revolution, but if you actually take a second to compare it to the outgoing model, it’s pretty clear they share no body panels.
The new model is about the same size as the outgoing vehicle, but with the minimalist interior design, it looks like it has a bit more room for passengers. Room in the trunk seems to have gone down, though, dropping from 211 liters (7.45 cubic feet) to 200 liters (7 cubic feet). It increases to 800 liters (28.25 cubic feet) if you fold the rear backrests.
Underpinning the vehicle is a new platform called Spotlight EV that Mini’s parent company, BMW, co-developed with Great Wall Motor from China. It is designed primarily with electric powertrains in mind, although it can also accommodate a combustion engine under the hood.
2. It Has More Power
Mini will offer the Cooper SE with two power outputs: 181 horsepower (exactly the same as the old model) and 214 horsepower. The former will sprint from a standstill to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.3 seconds, while the latter will do it in 6.7 seconds. Neither value is especially high, though, so perhaps Mini will launcha more potent performance variant(possibly even with a dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup, which is supported by the new platform) in the future.
Torque also improves over the outgoing model, going up to 213 pound-feet (290 Nm) in the base version and 243 pound-feet (330 Nm) for the more powerful one. Top speed has not yet been mentioned, but there’s a strong chance it will be limited to the same 93 mph (150 km/h) as before.
3. It Features a Dramatic and Customizable Interior
If the exterior made you wonder whether you’re looking at an older Mini or a brand new one, the cutting-edge interior will leave you in no doubt. It has the same basic layout as previous generations of the Mini, but it stands out as a thoroughly modern reinterpretation.
There’s still a big round screen in the center of the dash, which has very thin bezels, and it appears very slim when viewed from the side. It runs a completely new infotainment called Mini Operating System 9, which isn’t based on the eighth generation of BMW’s iDrive but rather an Android Open Source Project that was further developed by Mini.
With this new model, Mini has eliminated any kind of gauges or screen in front of the driver, which means it has the same basic interior layout asthe revised Tesla Model 3. All information, including speed, is displayed on the round center screen, which also shows navigation data, media information, or details about the vehicle’s electricity consumption and range.
Mini is renowned for the bold customization options that it offers in its vehicles, and it’s expanded upon this with the all-new model. The interior’s minimalist approach brings more focus to surfaces and materials, which are different for each of the four available trim levels.
For instance, the Classic trim features a material that looks like it was created by knitting, while the performance JCW trim has a tartan-like fabric and sporty touches to bring classic hot hatches to mind. The mood lighting, which is embedded and shines through some of the panels, has always been a highlight of Mini interiors, and it looks like this tradition is continuing with the all-new car.
4. It’s Available With Two Battery Pack Sizes
The base version of the new electric Mini has a 40.7 kWh battery that gives it a WLTP range of 189 miles (305 km). That’s considerably more than the 234 km (145 miles) provided by the old model’s 32 kWh battery.
If you want the maximum possible range out of your electric Mini, you will have to pay extra for the 54.2 kWh battery. It extends the WLTP range to 402 km (249 miles), which is more than respectable for a small EV like the Mini.
Fast-charging speeds are different for the two battery packs: the smaller pack will charge at a maximum of 75 kW, while the larger pack bumps that up to 95 kW. These aren’t a big improvement over the outgoing electric Mini, and they certainly don’t place the Mini amongthe fastest-charging EVs.
It Looks Familiar, but It’s Completely Different
Even though the exterior design of the all-new Mini might make it seem as if it’s just a heavy reworking of the old model, it really isn’t. It is a completely new vehicle built on underpinnings shared with a Chinese automaker, and its main focus is electric powertrains.
However, while this may make the vehicle seem more derivative than before, Mini insists it retains the brand’s renowned handling characteristics, which it brings up-to-date with electric power.
Wether the new electric Mini, which will hit the market sometime in 2024 or 2025, will be a true enthusiast-pleasing EV remains to be seen. The manufacturer’s track record of building fun cars regardless of powertrain does make us optimistic, though.
