► We start life with an electric Mini
► A proper Mini hatch – does it ever get old?
► Piers wonders if he’ll miss his Countryman
After the hulking mass of my last car – a Mini Countryman JCW – this Cooper SE has the cuddliness of a week-old puppy.
It’s 575mm shorter and almost 100mm lower than the Countryman. And unlike the bigger car it has the proportions that made the original Mini such a hit. We had an R53-generation Mini in the office the other day, a reminder that in the 20-plus years since BMW started building Minis it has managed to keep to the script on the three-door. The latest one has a bit more bulk in the sides, so needs bigger wheels, but the proportions are right.
This is the electric Mini, hence the ‘E’ in SE, built in China on an all-new platform; the petrol car (Cooper or Cooper S) is still made in Oxford but it’s actually just a heavily facelifted version of the last generation and won’t be updated further, as Mini heads to being electric-only by the early 2030s.
Power comes from a 49kWh battery under the floor, good for a claimed range of 240-odd miles or 200 miles in the real world. Early days, but the efficiency is proving to be a real bonus: averaging 4.0 miles per kWh, I can just about get to Heathrow and back, my marker for how useful an electric car is. The Mercedes EQE I ran earlier this year couldn’t manage that, despite its vastly bigger battery.
Our car’s battery is 20kWh up on the last-gen Mini Electric, which contributes to the 289kg increase in weight. But with 243lb ft and 215bhp driving the front wheels, it’s lively enough.
There is a lesser electric three-door available, the Cooper E, with a smaller battery (36.6kWh) and prices starting from £30,000. The SE starts at £34,500. You choose from three versions – Classic, Sport and Exclusive – that bring mostly cosmetic changes. Ours is Exclusive, which adds £2200. Then you opt for the Level 1, 2 or 3 option pack. Ours has Level 2, at £2000, featuring a panoramic glass roof, folding wing mirrors that auto-dim, heated front seats, Harman Kardon audio and a head-up display. Blazing Blue paint and 18-inch wheels are also optional (£550 each), taking us to £39,799.
Big price for a small car – and one with severely limited rear seat space. It’ll be interesting to see if I end up missing the bulky Countryman.
Logbook: Mini Cooper SE
Price £34,500 (£39,799 as tested)
Performance 49kWh battery, e-motor, 215bhp, 6.7sec 0-62mph, 106mph
Efficiency 4.2-4.4 miles per kWh (official), 4.0 miles per kWh (tested)
Range 240-249 miles (official), 200 miles (tested)
Energy cost 5.0p per mile
Miles this month 455
Total miles 1885