More Power and Range Coming for Future Electric MINI
Following the first non-camouflaged shots that surfaced in April, MINI this week released more details about the next-generation three-door hardtop, specifically the all-electric variant.
Unlike the outgoing model introduced for 2020, the new battery-powered MINI will be available in two different configurations globally—Cooper E and Cooper SE. Will both land in Canada? That remains to be confirmed.
- Also: This is Your First Official Look at the Next Electric MINI
- Also: Next-Gen MINI Countryman to Enter Production Late in 2023, EV Model Included
The entry-level Cooper E is announced with 135 kW or 181 horsepower, exactly like the Cooper SE we already know. The new Cooper SE, meanwhile, will get a more potent electric motor generating 160 kW or 215 horsepower. Peak torque is not specified in either case.
In addition to extra output, MINI is promising increased range, which is great news because that was arguably the biggest knock against the car. The lithium-ion battery will have a capacity of 40.7 kWh in the Cooper E and as much as 54.2 kWh in the Cooper SE—up from 32.6 kWh right now—resulting in a range of 300-400 km based on the WLTP standard.
Obviously, the range estimates in North America will be lower, but given that the larger pack boasts 66 percent greater capacity, we can expect the Cooper SE to be able to travel up to around 275 km versus 183 km as it’s currently rated by Natural Resources Canada.
Look for MINI to officially introduce its next-generation hardtop later in 2023, with sales in Canada starting in the first half of 2024 for the 2025 model year. The electric variant will ride on a whole new architecture resulting from a collaboration between BMW Group and China’s Great Wall Motors. Production will take place at a Chinese plant (conventionally powered hatchbacks will still come from the Oxford factory in the U.K.), and a high-performance JCW model will follow at a later date.
What’s more, as we reported last month, chances are the gas-powered MINI 5 Door will be indirectly replaced next year by a production version of the Aceman concept. In the meantime, a new MINI Countryman will debut, offering both gas and electric variants, but this one will be built in Germany instead.