Mini Electric Review

Although the 2022 Mini Cooper Electric has a shorter range than many other small EVs, it compensates for this flaw by being more inexpensive and enjoyable to drive. The all-electric version of the two-door Mini Cooper hardtop blends zippy acceleration with go-kart-like agility.

Introduction

Although the 2022 Mini Cooper Electric has a shorter range than many other small EVs, it compensates for this flaw by being more inexpensive and enjoyable to drive. The all-electric version of the two-door Mini Cooper hardtop blends zippy acceleration with go-kart-like agility.

However, its battery pack is far smaller than most competitors, resulting in a driving range of only 110 miles on a full charge. Despite being one of the most affordable EVs on the market, it comes with a long list of standard amenities.

Surely, a Mini wouldn’t be a Mini if it didn’t have a quirky style and a plethora of customization choices. Despite its short back seat and limited cargo room, the 2022 Cooper Electric is ideal for city dwellers.

Furthermore…

Although the 2022 Mini Cooper Electric has a shorter range than many other small EVs, it compensates for this flaw by being more inexpensive and enjoyable to drive. The all-electric version of the two-door Mini Cooper hardtop blends zippy acceleration with go-kart-like agility.

However, its battery pack is far smaller than most competitors, resulting in a driving range of only 110 miles on a full charge. Despite being one of the most affordable EVs on the market, it comes with a long list of standard amenities.

Of course, a Mini wouldn’t be a Mini if it didn’t have quirky style and a plethora of customizing choices. Despite its short back seat and limited cargo room, the 2022 Cooper Electric is ideal for city dwellers.

Let’s take a look at other specifications of MINI in detail,

Let’s begin…

Awards

A happy time for our happy MINI cooper SE; the Best British-built Car of the Year award is really meaningful to us. Plant Oxford put in a lot of effort to build a multi-skilled, adaptable staff working on traditional combustion engines and electric vehicles.

Plus…

“Every time you go in it, it brings a smile to your face, and the fact that it’s built-in Britain adds significantly to the distinctive appeal.” — The Times of Sunday.

We’re proud to build our MINI Electric models here in Oxford and honored to win Best British-Built Car.

Specifications

Interior

The interior of the Electric boasts a 5.5-inch digital gauge cluster that shows the battery’s charge level, driving range, adaptive cruise control, head-up display, navigation information, and other infotainment capabilities.

Dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, and a unique heat-pump architecture that consumes 75% less energy than a regular electric heater when warming the passenger interior are all standard features on every Mini Electric.

Dimensions

The addition of ambient inside lighting in six different hues gives the cabin a creative new dimension. Like the gas-powered Mini Cooper, the back seat is cramped, and cargo space is also limited.

Infotainment system

Apple CarPlay, built-in navigation, and SiriusXM satellite radio are standard on the 8.8-inch central touchscreen. Mini Electric owners may pre-heat or cool their car’s interior using a smartphone app before coming aboard.

The Mini is also available with wireless charging and a Harman/Kardon audio system.

Dashboard:

The inside of the Electric lives true to the Mini’s premium image, with ample soft-touch plastics on the dashboard and solid-feeling knobs, switches, and stalks.

It also looks wonderful, with a bright, retro style that, thankfully, doesn’t sacrifice usefulness once you’ve gotten used to a few oddities.

The driver’s seat is supportive, comfy, and adjustable. The 5.5-inch digital screen behind the steering wheel makes it simple to tell how much charge is left in the battery and how fast you’re traveling at a look. Some competitors’ digital instruments have larger details, but the Mini has a smaller footprint.

Visibility

Due to the Mini’s tiny design, visibility is surprisingly good, especially while looking back over your shoulder, and the car’s extremities are easy to judge. As a result, it’s not difficult to park; however, if you want rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, you’ll need to upgrade to Level 2 specification. Level 3 also includes front sensors.

LED Headlights

Bright LED headlights are standard at night, with fully adaptive matrix LED lights that automatically maintain high-beam brightness without dazzling oncoming vehicles available on the top-of-the-line Level 3 trim. The taillights feature a fun Union Jack pattern.

Boot Space

Simply Put, if you frequently transport adults in the back, the Honda E, Peugeot e-208, and Renault Zoe are better choices, as they all seat five people versus the Mini’s four. Even better would be the larger but equally priced MG ZS EV.

The boot space is the same as the three-door petrol electrified Mini hatchback.

That means you can fit more luggage in the Zoe than you could in a Honda E, but it’s still the more practical option. A two-level cargo floor and a 50/50 split rear seat are standard, but we could only put three carry-on luggage into the load compartment.

Electric Motor

First and foremost, it’s still a blast to drive, with the front-mounted electric motor producing 181bhp and 270Nm of torque, enough to power the compact electric hatchback from 0 to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds.

The car is also highly responsive when executing fast maneuvers like overtaking or exciting crossroads.

Rear Seats

The tradeoffs were significant: the back seats were eliminated, the boot room was reduced, and the EV hardware added 350 pounds. Lessons learned from that car fed into the development of the i3, but even BMW engineers admit they didn’t anticipate how quickly battery technology and affordability would improve by now.

Driving Range:

The standard Mini Cooper SE has a limited range of 110 miles on a full charge, much less than what alternatives like the Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf can cover.

According to the Mini family, the car’s battery can be charged to 80% in 35 minutes. You may fully charge the battery in four hours if you use home AC charging at 7.4 kilowatts.

The two-mode regenerative braking technology on the little hatchback also helps to maximize battery charge.

When you let off of the accelerator pedal, the Mini E, like all-electric cars, collects energy to recharge its battery. On the Mini, the mechanism is known as regenerative braking, and it causes the car to slow down quickly as you ease off.

You can minimize the effect in the settings, but it reverts to the default when you turn the car off and on again.

Furthermore…

On the other hand, the brake pedal has superb responsiveness and feel, making it easy to estimate how much pressure to apply to slow down smoothly, unlike in many electric vehicles.

Sport, Mid, Green, and Green Plus are the four driving modes available.

Sport sharpens the accelerator response and provides you with a more instantaneous electric-car feeling. Green encourages you to drive more gently by requiring you to press the accelerator pedal significantly harder for a good burst of propulsion.

If you’re from somewhere else in the world, this is the Mini Cooper SE, which is a bit confusing. You still get a green-tinted ‘Cooper S’ badge on the boot no matter where you buy it. What’s underneath, on the other hand, remains unchanged.

Performance

The front-wheel-drive Electric is powered by a 32.6-kWh battery pack that produces 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque (only 28.9 kWh is usable).

When we tested a prototype Mini Electric, we were impressed by how quickly it moved. Our most recent drive confirmed our first thoughts, but it also exposed us to an overzealous traction-control system that prevented us from chirping the front tires, reducing the enjoyment.

Nonetheless…

the Mini’s go-kart handling impressed us. We also observed it accelerate to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, putting it ahead of comparable tiny EVs like the Chevy Bolt EV (6.7 clicks).

The model has two regenerative-braking modes: one that allows the car to coast like a non-EV when you let go of the gas pedal, and another that is more aggressive and almost removes the need to use the brake pedal.

On now-common 50kW DC rapid chargers, an 80 percent charge takes 35 minutes, roughly two and a half hours on more typical 11.2kW AC chargers (a regular public charger or the type of wall box you’d have at home), or 12 hours on a three-pin residential connection.

Plus…

Mini claims a range of 140-145 miles on a full charge, depending on the conditions. For around 95% of journeys, this is perfectly fair, but when compared to competitors, the business case falters a little. A VW e-Up is roughly £5k cheaper if you want a similar range, but you can get more range with a Renault Zoe or Peugeot e-208, which are equally priced.

Insurance

Forward-collision warning, pedestrian identification, and rain-sensing windshield wipers and headlights are among the driver-assistance features available on the Mini Electric.

Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites for further information on its crash-test results. The following are important safety features:

  • Forward-collision warning and the automatic emergency braking are standard.
  • A standard lane-departure warning is provided.
  • Self-parking assistance is available.

Compared to its competitors, Mini offers one of the finest warranty policies and extensive complimentary periodic maintenance.

  • A four-year or 50,000-mile limited warranty is included.
  • A four-year or 50,000-mile powertrain warranty is included.
  • The warranty on electrical components is for eight years or 100,000 miles.
  • Maintenance is included for three years or 36,000 miles.

Is Mini Electric Reliable?

Although the MINI Cooper SE has a new motor, it is built on the tried-and-true hatchback architecture, so we expect it to be dependable. Only 8% of MINI owners reported a problem with their car in our 2020 Driver Power satisfaction survey, compared to 14% for Honda and 18.7% for Renault.

MINI’s advertised range for the Electric variant isn’t quite as trustworthy. Expect the advertised 140/145-mile range to be substantially closer to the 100-mile threshold in real-world driving.

Euro NCAP gave the MINI three-door hatchback four (out of five) ratings for safety, with adult and child protection values of 79 percent and 73 percent, respectively.

Furthermore…

There are good levels of safety kit in the MINI Electric and Level 2 cars that come with the Driving Assistant pack, including a camera-based assistance system that can recognize and warn of speed limits. If a probable accident is detected, it also contains a pedestrian warning system with automatic braking.

Cost and Verdict:

The 2022 Mini Cooper Electric price is the same as last year, and it’s still qualified for a federal tax credit of $7500 off the sticker price.

As a result, the base model is a fantastic value, with features like automatic dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, faux-leather upholstery, LED front lighting, hands-free passive entry, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated steering wheel as standard.

Conclusion – KW  Review:

A panoramic sunroof, leather seats, and several infotainment enhancements are included in Level 3. It also comes with a better sound system and self-parking capability.

The line is topped by a limited-edition Mini Electric Collection vehicle, with distinctive styles such as a dramatic multi-tone roof. Only 300 copies will be sold in the UK; therefore, it won’t be around for long.

There are a plethora of customizing options in true Mini fashion. Within each trim level’s pricing range, you can select from a variety of wheel designs, exterior paint colors, roof colors, mirror caps, and upholstery finishes.

Moreover…

It is a Mini Cooper SE to look at, ride in, and (basically) drive if you want a Mini and want to go electric. The brand’s goal of creating a three-door sedan nearly indistinguishable from its combustion-engined counterparts has been met. Place your order as soon as possible.

If you just want a tiny electric car, though, the Mini Electric is surrounded by extremely competitive rivals, and as a result, it’s a little less compelling. If you shop around, you can obtain a car with the same range for less, a car with more range for the same price, or a car that is just plain more fascinating.

In short…

The MINI Electric SE is now in the spotlight. On the other hand, the three-door hatchback will not have it all its way. As more individuals seek cleaner alternatives for their urban driving needs, the market for compact fully-electric automobiles is fast expanding.

Other manufacturers have followed in the footsteps of trailblazers like the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf, introducing their compact electric vehicles. Hyundai created the Kona Electric SUV, while Kia’s e-Niro, another compact SUV, is powered by the same battery and motor.

The Peugeot e-208 shares a lot of PSA-group technology with the Vauxhall Corsa-e vehicle in the supermini segment. These, along with the Honda e and upcoming electric Fiat 500, will be important competitors for the MINI.

That’s it for today!

Those were the best specifications and details of your favorite car. If you want to read more about other cars, just visit us.

The end.

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