The new Cooper E may be propelled by electricity, but the driving experience lives up to the name on the bonnet.
There is a new Mini on the road. A whole new generation actually. Since the New Mini was reborn under the BMW banner in 2001, this is the fourth model to come out – and the first one to be developed from the ground up as a battery electric vehicle.
“Wait” – I can hear you saying – “does this mean there are no more Minis burning fuel inside a combustion engine?” Well, no, it does not. BMW know the death of the internal combustion engine was wildly exaggerated and decided to offer both variants still.
The BEV model I drove is 100% new, whereas the ICE model is a development of the previous car. A heavily reworked evolution, say BMW. All bases covered, there is little to separate the new Mini from being another success, much like its predecessors.
Funny fact is this new electric Mini being shorter (although taller and wider) than the car it replaces, making it a bit more practical around town, its natural habitat. It also accomplishes to be different while still looking undoubtedly like a Mini.
Oliver Heilmer and his team of designers have managed to preserve the Mini’s visual language, an absolute must-have not only to traditional customers but new owners as well, since there is nothing quite like it on the market.
The cabin also pays tribute to the Alec Issigonis original from 1959, yet it looks very avantgarde and openly tries to guess what the future will be. Minimalist design meets digital maximalism, if that makes any sense. The general feeling of the interior is completely dominated by the 9.4in central circular OLED touchscreen, a solution that may be seen as: 1. Brilliant; 2. Too kitsch for its own good. Whatever you may think, it does give the car a very particular vibe.
Practicality is okay for a small city car. Boot capacity stands at 210 litres or 800 litres with the seats down. There is some storage space inside, and four people can travel short distances in comfort. For a trip to Lisbon, I would take a different car.
A note to say that the fabrics all over the cabin are a pretty cool touch, giving a sense of quality and bespoke – and even looking futuristic, a theme in tandem with the rest of the car.
The new Cooper E electric is the entry-level version from the BEV range. It makes 184 horsepower, comes with a 36.6 kWh battery and has a maximum range of 305km. It gets to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds, has a top speed of 160km/h and costs from €35,000.
The Cooper SE is next, with 218 horsepower, a 49.2 kWh battery and 402km of range. 100km/h takes 6.7 seconds and the top speed is 170km/h. You need €38,650 to put one in your garage.
The Cooper E’s battery charges up to 75kWh, whereas the bigger battery will accept up to 95kW. Mini says it will take less than half an hour to get from 10 to 80% charge; slower charging is up to 11kW AC.
Behind the wheel, the Cooper E has some of that Mini familiarity in its agility, liveliness, interaction and the way it feels light on its feet (even though at 1600kg this electric version is anything but). On the other hand, the lack of sounds, vibrations and smells rob the experience of some important elements – after all, this is a Mini, a car known also because it’s always been fun to drive.
Depending on everything, from your right foot to the weather, I would say the real-world range is around 250km. The Cooper E is almost always going to be a second car in most households.
Driving modes are called Experience – seven in all – and controlled via the touchscreen or, easier, a switch in the toggle bar. There are myriad sounds that activate depending on what the car is doing that seem to try to add some emotion to this new electric reality. Whooshes, dings, dongs, birds chirping and the likes. I find it all a bit much but maybe youngsters will enjoy them, and they are a very important customer base for this car.
The new Mini Cooper E has a lot going for it and, in my opinion, the most important thing is still feeling like a Mini to drive. That must have been a real challenge for the engineers. It also looks good. Distinctive, with a personality all of its own, it will surely attract buyers on that alone.
Range is not amazing, but I see this as more of a toy, a car people will buy because they want one, not because it’s the most rational purchase they will make. And those who do will have a way of adapting the car to their daily life and vice-versa. As small electric cars go, the new Mini Cooper E is hard to beat.
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