► Mini’s new Electric hatch
► Up to 144-mile range
► Priced from £28k before grant
Mini has announced a new partnership with energy company Ovo which could provide owners of the new Mini Electric with 5000 free EV driving miles of home-charging.
Customers have to switch to Ovo Energy’s EV Everywhere bundle, which includes two years’ free Polar Plus membership for when they’re out and about. It claims to provide 100% renewable energy in the tariff.
Once signed up, Mini Electric owners receive a discount of £11 each month off their bill, equivalent of 5000 miles of free charging off-peak.
Mini unveiled its new electric vehicle (EV) 60 years after the first Minis rolled off the production line, at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show. The new Mini Electric will be built in the UK at the Oxford plant, and goes on sale in March 2020.
What’s under the electric Mini’s skin?
A T-shaped battery pack with a maximum capacity of 32.6kWh linked to a 135kW electric motor driving the front wheels. That means 181bhp and 199lb ft, good for a 7.3sec 0-62mph sprint and a limited top speed of 93mph. Range, under WLTP figures, is claimed at between 124 and 144 miles.
Review: we’ve now driven the Mini Electric
Mini says that its new EV is 145kg heavier than a Cooper S auto, albeit dry, which isn’t a huge jump. For reference, a Cooper S auto sprints to 62mph in 6.7sec.
Type 2 and CCS plugs make up your charging options, with an 80 percent charge being over within 35 minutes if you use a 50kW fast charger.
What else is new on the Mini EV?
There are only a few visual cues to your new Mini hatch being the electric one, namely the retro laserdisc wheels, slimmer front grille and some E badges. You don’t have to go for the yellow bits seen pictured if you don’t want to.
Inside, a dinky new digital instrument cluster replaces the analogue dials and there are four drive modes; the usual Sport, Mid and Green found in every Mini is supplemented by Green+ that limits or switches off in-car tech and the air-con to save power. The heater, according to Mini, is also 75 percent more efficient than a normal one.
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The Electric model also comes with nav as standard, with EV-specific map layers like where to find public charge points included.
Three equipment levels will be offered, with the mid-range one adding heated seats, rear parking sensors and the driver assistance pack. Go for the top-of-the-range and you’ll be treated to a Harman Kardon audio system, head-up display and a larger 8.8-inch infotainment system.
Mini Electric: price and release date
Mini says its new EV hatch is available to order now, with the first deliveries coming in March 2020. We’ve already driven a prototype of the new Mini Electric – you can find out more here.
It’ll cost you £27,900 for a basic one, £29,900 for mid-range and £33,900 for the top-spec one. All of these prices don’t include the £3,500 grant you’ll get from the UK Government.
Check out our Mini reviews